Today, RCMP Depot Division officially welcomed Chief Superintendent (C/Supt.) Mike Lokken as their new Commanding Officer. This welcome took place at a Change of Command Ceremony in Regina.
This was an opportunity for the division, and community at large, to bid farewell to the outgoing Commanding Officer, C/Supt. Sylvie Bourassa-Muise. Today's event was the formal handover of authority from C/Supt. Bourassa-Muise. RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme, local government officials and representatives from the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations were in attendance. Representatives from municipal police forces and 15 Wing Moose Jaw also attended.
The event included a parade with a ceremonial troop, cadet troops and an Ensign party. Commissioner Duheme turned the reins over to C/Supt. Lokken with the symbolic signing of parchments. The divisional Ensign was also handed by C/Supt. Bourassa-Muise.
C/Supt. Lokken brings a wealth of operational knowledge to the division. Throughout his career, he has worked in a variety of units and communities. C/Supt. Lokken holds a Diploma in Criminal Justice Law Enforcement from Lethbridge College and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Great Falls, Montana.
C/Supt. Lokken's earlier postings include communities in Manitoba, Nunavut, Alberta and now Saskatchewan. He has worked collaboratively with Indigenous communities, with a focus on building relationships. He has worked in units including Professional Standards in Edmonton, Alberta and the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team. In 2011, he was the non-commissioned officer in charge of the Integrated Northern Alberta Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit.
In 2018, he was commissioned to the rank of Inspector, serving as Detachment Commander in Parkland Detachment, in Alberta. In 2022, after promoting to Superintendent, he accepted the role as Depot's Training Officer.
In his new role as commanding officer, C/Supt. Lokken looks forward to advancing modernization goals. He has other priorities, such as supporting employee wellness and diversity initiatives. He also wants to enhance official language ability by creating more bilingual positions at Depot and better access to language training in English and French.
C/Supt. Lokken's key focus at the outset of 2024 is increasing the number of graduates from the RCMP Academy. He is committed to taking actions that support the quality education and training that Depot is known for.
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"As Commanding Officer of Depot Division, I humbly accept this most significant role at such a pivotal time in our history. Depot is the oldest division in the RCMP and the foundation of learning, a foundation of culture, and the foundation of the future of the RCMP. The modernization actions we are taking now and will continue to take, will contribute to building an even more effective, healthy and inclusive RCMP into the future."
Chief Superintendent Mike Lokken, Commanding Officer Depot Division