By: Dan Graham

Dan Graham — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 01:14:46 +0000

I want to correct the record here on the 2008 purchase of sidearms for park wardens. The Agency did not hire a “consulting firm”, as Al described it, to determine the type of handgun needed. Parks hired two (at the time) recently retired and extremely well-qualified RCMP firearms experts. Norm Fradet and Robin Gomes had long and distinguished careers as RCMP officers. They were both senior firearms instructors and armourers as well. Fradet and Gomes were, at the time each of them retired, the RCMP’s top firearms experts. Far from being a “consulting firm” Fradet and Gomes were hired to help with the selection of a sidearm in “as and when” term positions. They were employees of Parks Canada. They may have been the two most over-qualified term employees in the history of the Agency.
Fradet and Gomes had previously worked on the selection of firearms for the RCMP and other agencies (e.g. DFO, CBSA). In the late 1980’s they lead the RCMP program to replace the .38 Smith & Wesson M&P revolver. This effort resulted in the selection of the Smith & Wesson 5946 semi-automatic pistol for the RCMP that Al mentioned. When the 5946 was issued to RCMP members in 1990 it was state-of-the art. On the other hand, when the decision was made to arm park wardens, almost 20 years later, the Smith & Wesson 5946 was already very old technology. In fact, it was no longer available (Smith & Wesson discontinued the model 5946 in 1999).
The task we had in 2008, was to find a sidearm that would meet the identified needs of all park wardens (small statured and large), including the need to function well in the extreme cold of a Wood Buffalo snowmobile patrol and in the salt-water infused environment of an open-boat patrol in Pacific Rim. After consultations with park wardens in locations across the country and extensive testing, park wardens were issued a state of the art pistol, the Heckler & Koch P2000. The P2000 has performed extremely well for over 13 years and counting.
As for the Smith & Wesson 5946, if there has ever been a park warden who would trade their H&K P2000 for an S&W 5946, I never met them.

By: ray Whaley

ray Whaley — Sun, 10 Apr 2022 02:39:36 +0000

Worked for Al in Wood Buffalo as did many other young staff. Al was a very good team leader who used his wit and common sense to great advantage. Al and Wendy remain close friends to this day. Al lways followed and encouraged a high value system in the ” troops” and for that he was considered a good leader and equal partner and fierce defender of the Service in the midst of many questionable policies and less than liked administrators…….

Comments on: Allan Gibbs

By: Dan Graham

By: ray Whaley