CST BURSTROM, BATTLIN' DRUGS

Valemount's newest Constable, Ed Burstrom, took some time from his
fight against crime and joined us at the newspaper office last week.

Burstrom has about a month in Valemount so far. His last posting was
for six years in Jasper, and before that he spent six years in Fort McMurray.

Burstrom is married with two kids still at home.

Before joining the force, he worked as a road foreman in the highways
department in Jasper, then he went back to school in Lethbridge and
subsequently joined the RCMP.

"I left what I was doing because I was a single parent and
financially in a place like Jasper you cannot be a single parent."

He has two grown up kids and two kids still live with him at home.

"We've got a little place out in the toolies. We plan on having some
animals, chickens and the kids will enjoy it."

Burstrom has a pretty straight forward objective:

"My goal and I'm sure the detachment's goal is to get rid of some of
the drug problem," he said. "It is a huge undertaking, we need the
community's support and assistance."

He said that drug investigations are one of the most difficult,
that's why he is asking for cooperation from the community.

Burstrom said that while most people want action on drugs, few people assist.