Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald, the new commanding officer for RCMP in BC was formally sworn in Tuesday afternoon in Langley, to the sound of pipes and drums in front of several hundred dignitaries and officers in red serge.

His appointment was announced earlier as effective July 1, taking over from Deputy Commissioner Jennifer Strachan, who is retiring after 33 years with the force.

During a question and answer session with reporters following the ceremony, when McDonald was asked about the planned switch from the RCMP to a municipal force in Surrey, he said he thinks it will be a while before what he described as an 害羞草研究所渋ncredibly complex害羞草研究所� changeover actually happens.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檒l be in this for some time,害羞草研究所� predicted McDonald, who served a tour of duty as the chief superintendent in charge of the Surrey detachment.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e looking at years for the transition.害羞草研究所�

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RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki praised Strachan as an inspiration for female officers in the force, saying 害羞草研究所淚 wouldn害羞草研究所檛 be here as commissioner if it wasn害羞草研究所檛 for you.害羞草研究所�

After signing the papers for the formal transfer of authority to McDonald, Strachan conducted her final inspection of the assembled officers standing at attention in the Langley Events Centre hall.

Strachan said her time in the force had been 害羞草研究所渁bsolute pleasure,害羞草研究所� but had some parting words of advice for her fellow officers, warning them to avoid burnout.

害羞草研究所淵ou get caught up in the job and it害羞草研究所檚 all-consuming,害羞草研究所� Strachan observed.

She also advised against reading social media, with 害羞草研究所渦neducated害羞草研究所� opinions about police.

害羞草研究所淭urn off social media,害羞草研究所� Strachan said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not good for you.害羞草研究所�

In his remarks, McDonald sounded a similar note about what he termed an 害羞草研究所渋nsidious narrative害羞草研究所� that has taken hold in social media about police, and called on them to be proud of their calling.

害羞草研究所淢y red serge is a coat of honour,.害羞草研究所� McDonald commented, going on to say 害羞草研究所渓et me encourage you to regain your swagger.害羞草研究所�

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McDonald has over 29 years of experience in law enforcement having served both the Canada Border Services Agency and the RCMP.

- Change of Command ceremony held for the British Columbia RCMP

害羞草研究所� BCRCMP (@BCRCMP)

Most recently, he served as the assistant commissioner and criminal operations officer for federal, investigative services and organized crime in B.C.

More pictures of the event can viewed on the .