Two constables from the Langley RCMP detachment are going for gold later this month in New York.
Const. Janet Northrup and Const. Paula Harris are members of the Sirens, a team made up of female RCMP officers, members of the New Westminster Police Department and corrections officers.
They are competing at the World Police and Fire Games in New York, from Aug. 26 to Sept. 5.
Harris is a left-winger while Northrup plays defence.
For Northrup, this is her second time at the Games, as she competed at the Metro-Vancouver Games in 2009. The squad, which was formed at the last minute for those Games, came fourth, losing in the bronze medal game.
Harris is competing in her first Games.
“It is neat that you can meet people from all over the world that have the same profession as you,” she said, adding it will be special being in New York for the ceremonies planned to mark the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
“I think it will be quite an interesting place to be.”
After a few years away from the game, Harris began playing again in January and then joined the Sirens.
Both officers have soccer backgrounds, but knee injuries forced them to abandon playing on the pitch. Wanting to stay in shape and play a sport competitively, they found being on the ice much easier for their knees.
Playing with the Sirens is also a great way to socialize and relax away from the stresses associated with their police jobs.
“It is a stress reliever,” said Northrup, a 46-year-old who went to RCMP Depot in 2003 and was hired at the Langley detachment shortly after.
She got into policing after first working as a auxiliary officer.
“We have a solid group of women on our team,” she said. “We like to be competitive, but not to the point where we lose the enjoyment of the game.
“We still get to enjoy the game but at a competitive level.”
Northrups was introduced to the sport when her son began playing. With no background, she quickly learned the game and helped coach his teams until he was 13.
As for her own playing experience, Northrup tried ringette, but switched to hockey about 10 years ago.
It is also part of her job as she works with at-risk youth in Langley, including a hockey program in which youth and police officers play together.
Harris joined the RCMP 10 years ago, and came to the Langley detachment in 2005, after spending the first few years of her career in northern B.C.
While stationed up north, Harris first gave hockey a try, before taking a break from the game when she got pregnant.
Upon coming back to the Lower Mainland, Harris — who attended Lethbridge Community College on a soccer scholarship — hurt her knee playing soccer. That prompted a return to the ice back in January and shortly after that, Northrup introduced her to the Sirens.
“I like the physical aspect of the sport and the competitive nature,” she said, adding that it is also a great way to meet people from a similar work field.
Harris works in the child sex offenses unit.
