Saskatoon reacts to Sailor Dan’s death

Saskatoon Police Service Const. Derek Chesney fondly remembered his friend Dan Hicks on Tuesday.

Hicks, who went by the nickname Sailor Dan, died early Tuesday morning at St. Paul’s Hospital. He was 65.

“I really hope that right now, he’s looking down on us with a pen in hand and a fresh piece of paper in front of him, and he can draw as long as he wants now,” Chesney said. “Hopefully he gets at least 100 bucks for those drawings.”

Chesney had a good relationship with Hicks both as a policeman and a friend.

“Our interactions would consist of him seeing me on the street and being happy to see me. If I did have to interact with him from a police perspective, he was always good to deal with and always trusted me,” Chesney said.

The two men exchanged Christmas gifts every year. Chesney always got new pens and drawing pads for Hicks, while Hicks liked to get creative.

“He brought me a saddle a few years ago, which was kind of interesting,” Chesney recalled. “I’ll cherish that now.”

Even those who didn’t have a personal relationship with Hicks seemed upset to hear the news.

Paul Rochford said Hicks added character to Saskatoon.

“It’s very sad news, I think he’s one of the last local heroes around here,” Rochford said.

Catherine Shorkey thinks the city won’t be the same without Hicks.

“Personally, he did bring joy to my day when I would see him,” she said. “He was a very nice soul.”