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 含羞草研究社渋ncredibly complex含羞草研究社� changeover actually happens.

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檒l be in this for some time,含羞草研究社� predicted McDonald, who served a tour of duty as the chief superintendent in charge of the Surrey detachment.

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e looking at years for the transition.含羞草研究社�

READ ALSO:

RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki praised Strachan as an inspiration for female officers in the force, saying 含羞草研究社淚 wouldn含羞草研究社檛 be here as commissioner if it wasn含羞草研究社檛 for you.含羞草研究社�

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 含羞草研究社渁bsolute pleasure,含羞草研究社� but had some parting words of advice for her fellow officers, warning them to avoid burnout.

含羞草研究社淵ou get caught up in the job and it含羞草研究社檚 all-consuming,含羞草研究社� Strachan observed.

She also advised against reading social media, with 含羞草研究社渦neducated含羞草研究社� opinions about police.

含羞草研究社淭urn off social media,含羞草研究社� Strachan said. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 not good for you.含羞草研究社�

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

含羞草研究社淢y red serge is a coat of honour,.含羞草研究社� McDonald commented, going on to say 含羞草研究社渓et me encourage you to regain your swagger.含羞草研究社�

READ ALSO:

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

含羞草研究社� 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 .