For Staff Sergeant Al Presler and Corporal Ivan Ottenbreit, the watchwords are community connected. The two recent additions to the Humboldt and Lanigan detachments bring years of experience in policing, and both are looking forward to hooking into the Humboldt district.

For his part, S/Sgt. Presler is no stranger to the region having been posted here nearly 20 years ago. 

“I was posted here in 2000 straight out of training at Depot, and I spent about three years here. There was obviously something that I drew a liking to. The community was very impressive and very receptive to the police. I felt a bit like a celebrity in the community with the occupation I have. That’s what drew me back to the great community that it is.”

That’s not to say that Presler hasn’t observed changes, especially with the city’s size and its expanded business sector and recreation areas. Still he notes that many friends and acquaintances are still in Humboldt making it feel like a bit of a homecoming. 

Cpl. Ottenbreit has arrived from a posting in the Battlefords and CutKnife area. He is familiar with the challenges of rural policing, particularly with the dual detachment makeup of Humboldt and Lanigan.

“We do have a large area to cover. We do have the membership to cover it, but at the same time, we recognize that we can’t be everywhere. While we prioritize, everyone’s complaint is important, so we work very hard to meet everyone’s needs.”

To that end, the recent establishment of a pair of rural crime watch groups will definitely play a role in the detachment's ability to better serve the region. In S/Sgt Presler’s view, organized watch groups can enhance information gathering.

“It’s a way of communicating with the local police. I always say that the police are only as good as how the community polices itself. This is an important component in gathering information and being on the same platform to have those discussions and to know what’s going on.”

Cst. Ottenbreit agrees that it’s all about community policing.

“I think that’s what is enhanced is that communication because the people in the community know what’s going on even better than the police, so if we have that communication open if definitely helps us in the long run to help solve issues in that community.”

The two men look forward to jumping into the life of the city and being part of the fabric of the area. Presler has a love of hockey and a previous relationship with the club as a board member. It’s something he is entertaining getting back into at some point. Ottenbreit is a self-professed outdoorsman and looks forward to discovering ways to engage in and contribute to the community.