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Surrey’s tall ‘Operation Double Take’ cop is on the move

Cut-out of Constable Mike Della-Paolera used in program to curb speeding and dangerous driving
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Surrey RCMP Constable Mike Della-Paolera as seen in a cut-out used for the detachment’s Operation Double Take program. (File photo)

One tall Surrey Mountie, who is the face of RCMP detachment’s Operation Double Take, is on the move.

Surrey-raised Constable Mike Della-Paolera has taken a job in the Okanagan after working his entire RCMP career here.

The six-foot-10 Della-Paolera, known as 1 Tall Cop on Twitter, most recently worked with school students in the South Surrey area.

• RELATED STORY: Surrey Mounties’ FYRST program helps kids at risk of crime, gang involvement.

In 2019, the hard-to-miss Mountie was revealed as the model for Surrey RCMP’s Operation Double Take, which involves a “cut-out” image of him pointing a radar gun. The initiative is designed to target speeding and dangerous driving at intersections and roads identified as high-risk for collisions.

At this time, however, the program is not operational.

“Operation Double Take is not active at this time due to weather conditions and due to the safety (COVID) of our volunteers that look after the program,” Corporal Joanie Sidhu, spokesperson for Surrey RCMP, told the Now-Leader. “We do plan to re-active the program again in the future. Meanwhile, traffic enforcement continues throughout the city.”

Operation Double Take’s cut-outs moved around the city starting in the fall of 2019. The project is a partnership between police, ICBC and the City of Surrey’s Vision Zero strategy, which aims to reduce deaths on roads by 15 per cent in the next five years.

So, how did Della-Paolera feel about having a replica of him placed throughout the city?

“Well, I grew up in Surrey, I graduated from high school and elementary schools in Surrey and I’m also a school resource officer so I know how sometimes parents aren’t driving safely around the schools, so to be a part of this, to help educate parents, slow them down, absolutely why not?” he said in 2019.

with a file from Amy Reid

• READ MORE: Surrey RCMP deploy ‘Mountie Cut-Outs’ to deter dangerous driving.

• RELATED STORY: Ontario-raised LeSage to head Community Policing Bureau of new Surrey police force



tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com

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Tom Zillich

About the Author: Tom Zillich

I cover entertainment, sports and news stories for the Surrey Now-Leader, where I've worked for more than half of my 30-plus years in the newspaper business.
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