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香蕉视频直播檚 George Garrett has published a 285-page memoir 香蕉视频直播� George Garrett Intrepid Reporter 香蕉视频直播� that takes readers through his upbringing on a Saskatchewan farm to his time as one of B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 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香蕉视频直播檚 one story, that when reflected upon, makes him smile.
香蕉视频直播淪ome of them, you香蕉视频直播檙e glad that you had the story, but there香蕉视频直播檚 an impact on people as well,香蕉视频直播� he said.
Garrett spent a month riding along with the Vancouver Police Department, 香蕉视频直播渨hich is unusual,香蕉视频直播� 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.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 standing between Judge Fulton and the police as they香蕉视频直播檙e saying they香蕉视频直播檙e going to impose a 24-hour suspension and his vehicle will be impounded,香蕉视频直播� Garrett said.
香蕉视频直播淔ulton said, 香蕉视频直播榁ery well, if you do this to me, I shall not be a judge anymore.香蕉视频直播�
Garrett said the officers began assisting Fulton into their cruiser, and Fulton, Garrett said, told the officers to 香蕉视频直播済o to hell.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淭he headline in the paper was: 香蕉视频直播楪o to hell,香蕉视频直播� judge told cops,香蕉视频直播� 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.
香蕉视频直播淚 said, 香蕉视频直播榊ou don香蕉视频直播檛 want to bother with an old guy.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 from Canada.香蕉视频直播� They said, 香蕉视频直播業t doesn香蕉视频直播檛 matter, you香蕉视频直播檙e white,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈 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.
香蕉视频直播淚 was lucky to get out of there alive.香蕉视频直播�
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Those who were familiar with Garrett香蕉视频直播檚 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.
香蕉视频直播淚f I did a story about a bad cop, I never had a problem because the good cops didn香蕉视频直播檛 want them around,香蕉视频直播� 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香蕉视频直播檚 capture, as the work of a serial killer.
香蕉视频直播淚 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,香蕉视频直播� said Garrett, whose book includes a chapter titled The Monster, Clifford Olson.
香蕉视频直播淲e ran it, and it caused the national media to become interested and the RCMP were forced to hold news conferences every day.香蕉视频直播�
After Olson香蕉视频直播檚 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.
香蕉视频直播淚 didn香蕉视频直播檛 put it on the air though,香蕉视频直播� Garrett said, adding that he phoned crown prosecutor John Hall at home to confirm the information.
香蕉视频直播淚 said 香蕉视频直播楯ohn, I don香蕉视频直播檛 want to bother you at home but this is important. I heard there香蕉视频直播檚 $10,000 per body offered to Olson,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈 Garrett recounted.
香蕉视频直播淎ll he said was 香蕉视频直播楪eorge, I think I香蕉视频直播檇 put that on the back-burner for now.香蕉视频直播�
Garrett agreed not to run with the information.
香蕉视频直播淭he day Olson pleaded guilty, John Hall walked by my seat in the court house and said, 香蕉视频直播榊ou can take that matter off the back-burner now.香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈
Olson香蕉视频直播檚 wife ultimately received $100,000 after he co-operated with police, the 11th body being what Olson referred to as a 香蕉视频直播渇reebie.香蕉视频直播�
Although Garrett香蕉视频直播檚 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香蕉视频直播檚 devastating Alzheimer香蕉视频直播檚 diagnosis.
The author香蕉视频直播檚 proceeds from the book are to be dedicated to a cause close to Garrett 香蕉视频直播� 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
