For three generations, members of the Befus family in Calgary have been recruited into the ranks of the Calgary Police Service.
Marching across the parade square at the Mewata Armoury on Friday was recruit, now constable Zach Befus, who received his badge from his grandfather CPS Superintendent Gerald Befus (ret.), his father Staff Sergeant (Ret.) Robb Befus, and his brother, senior Constable Jeremy Befus.
In all, 19 recruits received their CPS badges during a ceremony on Friday at the Mewata Armoury.
“Obviously, I got a long family history with the CPS but I didn’t want to use that or take that as any type of advantage. I wanted to earn my own spot here,” said Const. Zach Befus.
“I want to fill the big shoes that they’ve left before me, and just continue to do good.”
Policing, he said, was a way to make a difference in the community.
“I just want to continue—and I know CPS is doing a good job around this—but continue to change the narrative around policing,” Zach said.
“I know for a fact that all my brothers and sisters that stood with me today have great hearts, they joined for great reasons, they want to help people, they want to serve the community, and that’s why we’re all here.”
Const. Befus will be heading to District 4 for his first assignment as a police officer, the same district that his brother Const. Jeremy Befus served at when he graduated.
“It means a lot to me. I thought I was going to be one of the last ones in in this generation to do it, but to have my brother come forward two years ago and say that he wanted to do it made me very happy. It made me very proud as a as an older brother,” said Const. Jeremy Befus.
“I started in Four District on Team Bravo, and he’s actually going to the same team in the same district. So it’ll be cool. It’ll be cool to see him there on the street and to go out and see him on some calls.”
Wanting to give back as a family
Their father and grandfather both echoed the sentiment about as a family, they’ve always wanted to give back.
“We grew up in a good family, and saw what my dad did on a regular basis, enjoyed what it gave to us as a family, and giving back to the community was always important,” said SSgt. (Ret.) Robb Befus.
“At times it can be a thankless, thankless job, but it’s good to remember that the people most people out there still support you, and you’re doing it for the right reasons.”
Other graduates from class 247 that were presented with badges by former or current members of CPS were Const. Heather Michaluk, who was presented with her badge by her father and mother, both detectives with CPS, and her sister who serves as a constable.
Const. Scott Hache received his badge from his father, a senior constable with the service.
Const. Mitchel Gallagher, who was also a top awarded recruit, received his badge from his partner, a constable with the service.
Chief Mark Neufeld said that class 247 was a regular part of the service’s recruitment efforts and that the graduating officers were not part of the province’s plans to put more police officers onto streets in the city.
“The recent announcement by the province for the 50 additional members, those will be recruited down the line.”
“That’s not something we’ve realized just yet or even have the funding for. I think we’re working through what is going to be the fine print in terms of what the intent is about funding, and so the agreements will be worked out I will just say that that’s something that we’re thankful for.”
Photos from Calgary Police Service graduating class 247
