A pair of girls were in charge of Alberta’s Mounties on Monday. As co-commanding officers, Maya Ferguson, 10, and Haley Neteljak, 11, attended meetings at K Division in Edmonton, met with members of the canine, explosive and drone units, received a helicopter tour, and were flown as guests of honour for a graduates’ supper at the training depot in Regina. “We got to talk into walkie-talkies and go on the radio. It was super fun,” Neteljak told CTV News Edmonton after. Of going on the helicopter, Ferguson said, “At first, I was a bit nervous taking off, but then once I got up, it was beautiful and very nice.” “Oh, the drones were really fun, too,” she added. Their reign was temporary, but effective. “They were thinking maybe longer lunch breaks for everybody, a shorter day,” joked the man typically in charge, Deputy Commissioner Trevor Daroux. He gave up his office on Monday willingly. The adventure was a collaboration between Mounties and the Kids with Cancer Society to provide both girls, who’ve been diagnosed with cancer, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. “I’ve never touched a police dog in my life because I know that I’m not allowed to when they’re working, so this is exciting that I get to,” Ferguson said. Meanwhile, Neteljak was excited to don the Mounties’ iconic red serge at the graduates’ dinner. “Not many people get to be guests of honour at that, so it’s just really cool,” she said. Daroux said the day is impactful to the involved RCMP members, as well. “We can only imagine what that news would feel like to any one of our families and so anything we can do in a small way, I think, is really important.” With files from Noah Rishaug
