New detachment commander embraces life — and leadership — in Lake Cowichan

Published 5:00 pm Monday, March 9, 2026

Chadd Cawson

There’s a new detachment commander in town.

Sgt. Kevin Mack, who has been working in law enforcement for the last 19 years, took on the lead role in Lake Cowichan this past August and is truly enjoying it.

“It’s been great,” said Mack. “We have a great thing going on here; everyone seems to be of the same mindset when it comes to looking out for the community’s best interests.”

The interest in helping others runs in the family. Born and raised in Peachland, B.C., Mack grew up in a home with a first responder.

“My dad was a firefighter, so when I was 16, I joined the junior fire department program and did that for about five years. From then on, I had a love for helping people as well as the first responder environment, and the lifestyle of it.”

In June 2006, Mack began his law enforcement career, heading to Regina for six months of training. He was then posted to Squamish as a general duty constable during the Olympic buildup, where he served five years.

“That’s where I began learning all of the duties and responsibilities of being a police officer,” said Mack.

Mack enjoyed milder winters in Kelowna but later served in the RCMP’s North District, where temperatures dropped to –35 C from October through April. It was there, in 2021, that he met his girlfriend, who immigrated to Canada from Germany in 2016.

“She’s great, and loves being in Canada,” said Mack. “I dragged her to Dease Lake, where I was previously posted; she endured some really cold winters before coming to the island.”

It was the change in climate and scenery that drew the couple to Lake Cowichan.

“Being able to be in the garden or mow the lawn at 15 degrees in February is exceptional,” said Mack. “It’s an amazing place in the summer, I’m in awe to see how many people come out here for our activities, and outdoor abilities. It gets busy, and I absolutely love it. It’s also nice because things tend to cool off in the shoulder season, which allows us to catch up and fine-tune things for the year ahead.”

Mack says that some goals for the year ahead include consulting the community on what they’d like the policing focus to be.

“Resource challenges, and trying to make sure that we have adequate resources for the needs ahead, is always my responsibility,” said Mack. “We have a lot of big events coming up, such as FIFA in the summertime, that will require resources, as well as ongoing issues in the community, such as the Walbran protest that requires us to adequately staff those needs. We encountered a protest back in September, so we’ve been engaged in supplying resources when the Critical Response Unit is up here dealing with the protest. We are in sort of a lull right now, but we will have to action that, and enforce the injunction that’s in place.”

When Mack isn’t hard at work, he loves to spend time with his two golden-doodles, Grizwald, and Stitch, who became his second furry friend this past September.

“I absolutely love having dogs,” said Mack.

Other hobbies include hunting, fishing, and anything else on the water, which is perfect for his girlfriend, who is infatuated with whales. The two recently returned from Mexico, where they had a whale of a time scratching the chins of grey whales while giving them kisses, as well as having the opportunity to see six blue whales in the Sea of Cortez.

“It was mind-blowing to be within 100 feet of a blue whale,” said Mack. “It is absolutely incredible to see their size and realize they are the biggest mammal on earth.”

When it comes to his new placement, Mack feels like he has the world on a string, as he has always had a love for small towns.

“It’s always been my desire to continue working in smaller towns, and my girlfriend absolutely loves being near the ocean,” said Mack. “It was one of her desires to be out here. I’m more of the mindset that I will work anywhere in Canada, but she really wanted to be close to the ocean.”

When it comes to his role, Mack says he has a lot to love and be appreciative of starting with being a good role model for his constables and corporals.

“From my own experiences of being a member, I just want to do better and to make a better workplace for them,” said Mack. “That’s where I like to shine best; building good relationships with the community, my members, and just being involved and able to help out where I can.”

Mack loves being able to help and effectively manage the resources he has at his disposal while providing a contribution to the community. Aiming to always be approachable, he encourages community members to come to him with any concerns they may have.

“If someone comes to me with a problem, I will always do my best to try and resolve it and be a help in any way I can.”