Anyone who wants to meet a peace officer in Rimbey just needs to try speeding through a school zone, cruising through a stop sign, or committing a driving while distracted sin such as chatting on a cell phone or texting.
Suddenly they will find themselves up close and personal with peace officer Kyle Koller, or one of his very capable counterparts, peace officers Derek Lewko or Jay Klause. Anyone of the three individuals are armed with the necessary tools needed to make the violation a bad and expensive choice.
It is unfortunate for speeders or those unfortunate individuals who chose to violate the bylaws of Rimbey or the summer villages that the sergeant and manager of protective services is so dedicated to his job.
With such a dedicated peace officer it is almost impossible to get away with even a minor infraction of the law.
“I love what I do,” said Koller, who admits he sometimes cruises into town on his day off just to check on things. And he is quite happy to sit beside Hwy. 53 at 4 a.m. to keep an eye on early morning motorists who are, unfortunately, in too much of a hurry to obey the 50-kilometer speed limit posted signs.
Koller began his job as peace officer in Rimbey and the Summer Villages of Parkland Beach, Gull Lake, Sunbreaker Cove, Birchcliff, Jarvis Bay and Norglenwold Jan. 2.
His years with the Calgary Police Service as a constable working in traffic enforcement have given him a solid background in dealing with traffic infractions, so he stepped into the position easily.
While working for the Calgary Police Service, Koller gained full custody of his five-year-old son, Tristen. Being a Calgary cop did not give Koller much time to devote to his son, so he decided to change career paths.
He became a partner in the business, Assured Document Services, and remained in that business until 2007 when he met his future wife, Pam who was working for a law firm that happened to be one of Koller’s clients.
The couple decided to pull up stakes and move to Sylvan Lake, which is a smaller centre to raise their family and Koller went to work as sheriff at Red Deer Court House.
Koller, his wife Pam and their children 15-year-old Tristen, Austin, six and Brooklynn four, are still living in Sylvan Lake.
As a peace officer, Koller is responsible for enforcing bylaws, and traffic rules and regulations.
He is equipped with radar and laser equipment, an audio and video camera system and a laptop.
He works flexible hours, striving to be at the right place at the right time to catch traffic offenders.
Since coming on board at the Rimbey town office he has worked with consultant Donna Tona to overhaul the peace officer’s manual making it more comprehensive and readable.
Making changes for the better is part of what makes Koller’s job challenging and exciting, he said.
“It’s ground floor, we are working on the policies and procedures and I really see a bright future for the peace officers here.”
He has found the people he deals with to be cooperative and friendly.
“Overall, they seem happy with the presence of a peace officer,” he said.