I refer to small time policing as “Andy of Mayberry” policing. You probably have to be 50 + to understand the Andy of Mayberry thing.

I worked years ago at Rossland detachment, a small community with four  RCMP officers working at the detachment. Very pro police.

We got to know the community very well and of course they got to know the four of us. The challenge of working in small communities is that  you live in a fish bowl. People watch our every move. Very little opportunity to let your hair down. I joined the Masonic Lodge while stationed in Rossland.

There is a business that is located in Vancouver called Young and Naughty that two  men operate. They are Masons themselves and they sell a great deal of Masonic regalia.  One guy is Mr. Young, the other fellow is Mr. Naughty, hence the company name Young and Naughty.  I’m unsure of the spelling. For all I know it could be Knotty. But, Naughty is Knotty regardless how it sounds.

So off I go in uniform to the Andy of Mayberry-type post office to get my package I ordered from this business.

Obviously the people working at the post office were just waiting for me to arrive. One person yells out, “Marko, your package from Young and Naughty came in.”  Yells to the back, “That Young and Naughty package back there for Marko?”

From the back room, “Yes, Marko’s package from Young and Naughty is here. Can you bring that package for Marko from Young and Naughty up front.?” Now they have everyone’s attention in the post office. I explain loud enough for people to hear that it’s the name of the company that deals in Masonic regalia.

All I get back is,  “Marko, we’re all adults here.”

I’m serious I tell them. In the name of the law I ordered everyone to stand fast and I opened up the package.

The next time I bought something from Young and Naughty was in person, while I was in Vancouver.

Marko Shehovac is Staff Sgt. for the Columbia Valley RCMP detachment