It sounds like the plot of a Canadian TV series: a seasoned RCMP officer, forged in the extremes of Canada’s north, tracks lost hunters, goes undercover in major crime and leads his team through crises before landing his dream posting in a quaint, B.C. coastal town. Now, he must balance small-town politics, high-stakes policing and the personal stakes of protecting the place he calls home.
This isn’t a TV show though, this is the career of Ladysmith’s new Staff Sergeant, Trevor Busch.
Busch officially took over as the Ladysmith RCMP detachment commander in February, a move that represents both professional growth and personal fulfillment. After years of transferring between postings, he and his family are finally staying put.
“With an RCMP career, you're always thinking about moving and you're always planning,” Busch said. “But as a father, I want stability too. So this was a good opportunity. We get the best of both.”
Raised in North Battleford, Sask., Busch grew up surrounded by examples of service. His uncles were in the navy, his grandfather served in the air force and his father was a volunteer firefighter who later became an auxiliary police officer. Those influences, combined with his time in Scouts and air cadets, instilled in him a strong sense of duty.
But Busch didn’t initially pursue policing. He studied environmental science at the University of Lethbridge and worked as an environmental technician, travelling across Alberta. Over time, he realized something was missing.
“I enjoyed the environmental science work, but in the oil patch in Alberta it's very busy," Busch said. “You don't live at home, you don't feel part of a community, you're often living out of a backpack in a truck or going from hotel to hotel. I missed being part of a community.”
Inspired by his father’s late career shift into policing, Busch applied to the RCMP and was sworn in in 2006. His first posting was Dease Lake, a remote northern B.C. town where he covered a massive geographic area, home to multiple Indigenous communities.
Busch calls his time in Dease Lake “an amazing adventure, just going to a completely different part of Canada, a different province and the remoteness of it. I got to fly in helicopters. I got to go up to the Alaska border, riding snowmobiles, riding ATVs. It was that adventure in the RCMP that really was exciting.”
From there, Busch moved to Vancouver Island, serving in Comox Valley, Powell River, and Duncan. Over 18 years, he gained experience in frontline policing, crime reduction, Indigenous relations, and specialized units such as the Vancouver Island Tactical Support Group.
Busch and his family moved to Ladysmith in 2018 while he commuted to work in Duncan. The decision to settle in town was intentional.
“I'm married with two young daughters who've been going to school here for the last six-and-a-half years, and we are absolutely thrilled to just be staying in the community,” he said. “With any luck they'll be graduating from Ladysmith Secondary and this is already home.”
Now, his work and home life are in the same place, an unusual luxury in the RCMP. It also means Busch enters the role with an existing connection to the community he serves.
“I love working in a small town like this,” he said. “I love getting involved in the community, going by the schools, going to events. That’s what really attracted me to this role — the community spirit.”
Busch takes over during a time of transition for the detachment. He replaces acting detachment commander Cpl. Tracy Dubnyk, who led for 11 months. Busch has nothing but praise for Dubnyk and holds her in high regard. He steps in as the community grapples with recent concerns about RCMP accountability following the suspension of Const. Jason Sammoun amid a sexual assault investigation.
While he cannot comment on the case specifically, Busch is clear about his stance on accountability.
“The RCMP is held to the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission (CRCC), which is where anyone can make a public complaint about an officer. Part of my job in Duncan was investigating those public complaints so I'm very experienced and know the process,” he said. “Accountability is a huge part of my core values and my upbringing. I hold that very seriously and very close to the heart.”
He also sees relationship-building as key to rebuilding trust.
Busch acknowledges that putting on the uniform means representing 150 years of RCMP history — both positive and negative. So he works hard to establish strong personal relationships.
“When I go out and I meet someone for the first time, I'm Trevor. I'm meeting them as Trevor and I want to get to know them specifically,” he said.
Much of Busch’s career has involved working with Indigenous communities, including in Duncan, where he oversaw Indigenous policing, and in Port Hardy, where he helped lead crisis intervention efforts. In Ladysmith, he hopes to continue that work through local outreach and reconciliation initiatives.
Busch said the detachment’s current priorities include road safety, traffic enforcement, reconciliation, and improving police visibility downtown. He also wants to focus on officer wellness, acknowledging the stress that comes with the job.
“Policing has changed,” he said. “I have 18 years of service and I've seen a change. I've also seen a change from when my father was in policing and I think we're headed in a really good direction now. We have more member supports available, we have peer-to-peer programs, we have critical incident stress debriefing plans, we have help for members that have been through traumatic events.”
As he settles into the role, Busch says his goal is simple: to lead a strong team while fostering community trust.
