When I first transferred to Huron County Detachment in 2003, Dave was my partner and we worked together in Seaforth.  I was still relatively new on the job with only 6 years on so I looked to Dave for his wisdom of the community that we were policing.  Dave knew everybody, and I mean everybody.  He was kind to all and had an easy way about him.  I will always remember his words of advice.  He said, "Always speak to people like you would to your Mother".  Those words have resonated with me for many years since.  And that's the way Dave was.  He treated everyone with fairness and respect.  Words to live by in our profession.  I can only hope to be that fair and respectful as he was.  Some days I miss the mark, other days I can still hear his words.  

He did have his quirks, as we all do.  I would get into the cruiser in the morning after Dave had been working the night before, and the emergency light buttons and radio keys would be sticky with spilled Coke and it smelled like a smoke hut!  (That was back in the days before the Smoke Free Ontario Act was in place, so no rules were being broken!)  There would be remnants of a meal on and under the seat and we often joked that if you boiled Dave's bullet proof vest in a pot of water, you could make a really nice soup!  I would clean the cruiser, hang little air fresheners in it and I would go merrily on my way for the day.  The next morning, Dave would leave me little notes in the cruiser saying, "Yes, I'm stinky!" and we would laugh.

On the days or nights when we worked together, we would double up.  Dave would drive, of course, and I would ride shotgun.  I soon learned that I had to take a Gravol an hour before we doubled up because Dave fluttered his foot on the gas pedal ALL NIGHT LONG.  It was like riding in a row boat!  Back and forth...  I still get a bit nauseous just thinking about it.  I never told him that I used to have to drug up before I doubled up with him, I just didn't have the heart to, but I'm sure he's laughing now.  

On our many rides together, he often spoke of his love of dogs, his fondness of the Hullett Marsh, how proud he was of his family, and how much he cherished his wife, Linda.

My heart aches for you as Dave was taken from us far too early.

Rest easy my dear old friend and partner.