From exposing political scandals at the highest level of the provincial government to alerting the public that a serial killer was on the loose, there was one voice that always seemed to be the first to break the story.
Surrey含羞草研究社檚 George Garrett has published a 285-page memoir 含羞草研究社� George Garrett Intrepid Reporter 含羞草研究社� that takes readers through his upbringing on a Saskatchewan farm to his time as one of B.C.含羞草研究社檚 most respected reporters.
The book goes behind the headlines he produced in his 43-year career in radio, mostly for CKNW, and is accompanied by harrowing, and occasionally humiliating, stories that happened along the way.
If something with provincial significance happened in British Columbia from 1956 to 1999, Garrett likely had a front-row seat.
Crafting the book almost entirely from memory, Garrett writes about his sometimes peculiar way of getting a story, such as the time he became a tow-truck driver in order to expose a forgery scheme. Another time, he posed as a security official to gain access to the area where securities were kept at the Vancouver Post Office. And another time, he impersonated the friend of a hostage in a prison riot by offering her a gift of flowers when she was taken to hospital.
In an interview with Peace Arch News Wednesday, Garrett said there含羞草研究社檚 one story, that when reflected upon, makes him smile.
含羞草研究社淪ome of them, you含羞草研究社檙e glad that you had the story, but there含羞草研究社檚 an impact on people as well,含羞草研究社� he said.
Garrett spent a month riding along with the Vancouver Police Department, 含羞草研究社渨hich is unusual,含羞草研究社� and always had his tape recorder ready to roll.
During one outing, Garrett and an officer were dispatched to a multi-vehicle collision that involved an impaired driver. On arrival, Garrett quickly recognized the suspect, Supreme Court Justice Davie Fulton.
含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 standing between Judge Fulton and the police as they含羞草研究社檙e saying they含羞草研究社檙e going to impose a 24-hour suspension and his vehicle will be impounded,含羞草研究社� Garrett said.
含羞草研究社淔ulton said, 含羞草研究社榁ery well, if you do this to me, I shall not be a judge anymore.含羞草研究社�
Garrett said the officers began assisting Fulton into their cruiser, and Fulton, Garrett said, told the officers to 含羞草研究社済o to hell.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淭he headline in the paper was: 含羞草研究社楪o to hell,含羞草研究社� judge told cops,含羞草研究社� Garrett laughed.
Another memorable tale, but less humorous, was the night he was assaulted while covering the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles in 1992. Garrett said he was approached by a group of men who demanded his car keys.
含羞草研究社淚 said, 含羞草研究社榊ou don含羞草研究社檛 want to bother with an old guy.
含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 from Canada.含羞草研究社� They said, 含羞草研究社業t doesn含羞草研究社檛 matter, you含羞草研究社檙e white,含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫 Garrett said.
One of the men struck Garrett, breaking his upper jaw, causing him to bleed profusely. An onlooker stepped in and drove him to the hospital.
含羞草研究社淚 was lucky to get out of there alive.含羞草研究社�
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Those who were familiar with Garrett含羞草研究社檚 body of work, particularly those in law enforcement, knew of his profound respect for, and working relationship with, police officers.
Although he reported on the numerous misdeeds of officers in his four decades of work, he has always kept a certain admiration for the men and women in blue.
含羞草研究社淚f I did a story about a bad cop, I never had a problem because the good cops didn含羞草研究社檛 want them around,含羞草研究社� Garrett said, adding that he built trust with officers by not disclosing information that could hamper an investigation.
An example, Garrett said, was when he was covering the crimes and conviction of Clifford Olson.
Olson confessed to killing 11 children and young adults between the ages of nine and 18 in the early 1980s.
It was Garrett who first publicly described the string of similar murders, before Olson含羞草研究社檚 capture, as the work of a serial killer.
含羞草研究社淚 was the first guy to say that it could be a serial killer. I did that with approval of my boss, Warren Barker. But I knew that it would frighten the community, but at the same time, Warren and I agreed that the community should be made aware that there is a serial killer likely at work,含羞草研究社� said Garrett, whose book includes a chapter titled The Monster, Clifford Olson.
含羞草研究社淲e ran it, and it caused the national media to become interested and the RCMP were forced to hold news conferences every day.含羞草研究社�
After Olson含羞草研究社檚 capture, Garrett learned through one of his many trusted sources that the RCMP agreed to pay Olson $10,000 for each location of the hidden bodies.
含羞草研究社淚 didn含羞草研究社檛 put it on the air though,含羞草研究社� Garrett said, adding that he phoned crown prosecutor John Hall at home to confirm the information.
含羞草研究社淚 said 含羞草研究社楯ohn, I don含羞草研究社檛 want to bother you at home but this is important. I heard there含羞草研究社檚 $10,000 per body offered to Olson,含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫 Garrett recounted.
含羞草研究社淎ll he said was 含羞草研究社楪eorge, I think I含羞草研究社檇 put that on the back-burner for now.含羞草研究社�
Garrett agreed not to run with the information.
含羞草研究社淭he day Olson pleaded guilty, John Hall walked by my seat in the court house and said, 含羞草研究社榊ou can take that matter off the back-burner now.含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫
Olson含羞草研究社檚 wife ultimately received $100,000 after he co-operated with police, the 11th body being what Olson referred to as a 含羞草研究社渇reebie.含羞草研究社�
Although Garrett含羞草研究社檚 memoir recounts his steps as a journalist, he also delves into the personal details of his life. He shares the heartbreaking loss of his son in a canoeing accident, and his wife含羞草研究社檚 devastating Alzheimer含羞草研究社檚 diagnosis.
The author含羞草研究社檚 proceeds from the book are to be dedicated to a cause close to Garrett 含羞草研究社� the
Garrett will be doing readings and signings of his book at Black Bond Books in the Semiahmoo Shopping Centre March 9 at 1:30 p.m., and at Haney Place Mall in Maple Ridge March 16 at 1:30 p.m.
His book George Garrett Intrepid Reporter, published by Harbour Publishing, is available
