The fatal shooting of three RCMP officers and the wounding of two others in Moncton, New Brunswick on June 4 was a horrific tragedy for the men’s wives, children and their families.
The senseless deaths of RCMP Constables Dave Ross, Fabrice Gevaudan and Douglas Larche while in the line of duty by shooting suspect Justin Bourque have sent a shock wave of sadness across the country.
While they cannot possibly feel the grief of the officers’ families, the loss of their brethren is bitter for all of the men and women who serve in the RCMP in Canada.
100 Mile House RCMP Staff Sgt. Blake Ward said it is a very difficult time for everyone in the RCMP.
“Even though we are a large police force going across Canada, we are still very much a family unit, and to have something like that happen to us, even across the country like that, it still affects us here."
On June 11, the 100 Mile House detachment members marched to the local Royal Canadian Legion to watch the Regimental Funeral of the three fallen members on television.
Staff Sgt. Ward said it was nice to be able to watch the service and feel they were part of it even if they couldn't be in Moncton.
He added it was an opportunity for the members to be together and support each other through the service.
Ward noted they appreciated the Legion hosting them and the way the South Cariboo reached out compassionately to the local detachment members.
“It was very nice to see the community provide us that support at this tough time.”
Our RCMP members definitely deserved to be supported.
The shooting deaths in Moncton are a terrible reminder of what our RCMP members do day in and day out – they put their lives on the line to protect us.
Unfortunately, they generally don’t get the respect they deserve, especially when it comes to things like being pulled over for excessive speeding or CounterAttack roadside stops.
However, these are the men and women who answer the calls for help when we need their protection or help.
These are the folks who knock on the door when there are calls about domestic disputes.
They don’t know what’s on the other side of the door, but they go in to keep the peace. They go in to save someone from being a victim of violence.
It takes a special kind of person to accept the inevitable confrontation and to be a calming voice of reason in a hostile environment.
These men and women deserve our respect and our support.
We share their grief in the communities they protect and serve.