鈥淭here are people that will need help, so don鈥檛 turn your cheek and walk away 鈥� that鈥檚 the lesson. We鈥檙e trying to teach how to be responsible and respectful in our own communities so that number one: we want everyone to be safe,鈥� he said.
听The Peace Keepers are a volunteer group that has been operating for close to three decades. Harry was one of the founding members.
听鈥淲e have five residential reserves here in Squamish, so seven of us guys thought we needed to start something and to look after the children, the elders and the community as a whole. That鈥檚 when we started,鈥� he said.
In the beginning, he admits the job of self-policing a small community wasn鈥檛 easy. Some people questioned their strategy.
鈥淲hen we first started, it was pretty rough for us,鈥� he said. Over time, said Harry, the doubters began to call on the Peace Keepers for help, and perspectives changed.
Sometimes the Peace Keepers deal with things Harry categorizes as 鈥渢he negative鈥� like loud parties, roadside accidents or illegal substances. Most of the time, they approach issues from a proactive angle.
Over time, the Peace Keepers helped found Aboriginal Day, where local RCMP paddle alongside First Nation youth, and the Integrated First Nation Unit, a partnership between the RCMP and West Vancouver Police Department, to provide culturally-sensitive policing.
The Peace Keepers work proactively with the RCMP on reserve calls, and beyond reserve lands, they鈥檝e connected agencies like Squamish Fire and Search and Rescue with Squamish Nation knowledge of the area.
鈥淚鈥檝e always tried to promote a proactive approach for prevention.鈥�
Part of that mission is involving youth 鈥� including Harry鈥檚 own son, Chase, who has been attending calls with his dad since he started high school. Harry even recalls his 10-year-old son reminding his parents to put on safety vests once when attending a vehicle accident.
鈥淚鈥檝e pretty much been doing this since I was a kid,鈥� said Chase. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always been an interest. I鈥檝e been going on calls with him. It鈥檚 a good experience and I liked it, helping out the people.鈥�
Now 23 years old, Chase is a Peace Keeper himself and still attends calls with his father.
The two attended a recent road-stop program on Squamish Valley Road that was meant to inform campers about hazards when heading into the backcountry on the May long weekend.
鈥淲hen we get the younger ones to work with us, that gives us the edge because they are around the same age,鈥� said Harry. 鈥淥verall, I look at the big picture 鈥� we involve the younger generation, both male and female, and we always have the best person to step in and work with an issue. That鈥檚 our aim and our goal.鈥�
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