Skipper, a 12 1/2-year-old Accredited Facility Dog (AFD) from the Pacific Assistance Dogs Society (PADS), is retiring after years of dedicated service with the RCMP.
Assigned to the North District General Investigation Section (NDGIS) of the RCMP and trained to assist the community care professionals in situations where a dog could support physical, social or emotional well-being, Skipper has worked with individuals and groups of all ages. A fully trained AFD since 2017, Skipper has spent the past seven years partnered with his handler, Jen Quam, the Victim Witness Services manager for North District RCMP.
He has lived with Quam and her family for the duration of his service. They have now adopted him.
Before joining NDGIS in 2020, Skipper and Quam worked at the McBride and Valemount RCMP detachments, providing front-line victim support services between 2017 and 2018. They later served as a Youth Care Worker team at Nukko Lake Elementary School from 2018 to 2020.
During his time with NDGIS, Skipper played a vital role supporting people in crisis, particularly children required to testify in court. His calming presence provided comfort during difficult moments, and he was regularly requested by BC Prosecution Service for trials involving young witnesses. Skipper also provided day-to-day emotional support to front-line officers.
