DEATHS OF FOUR MOUNTIES A GRIM REMINDER

Their Job Is A Dangerous One And Officers Need To Mindful, Say Niagara
RCMP, NRP Spokesmen

The checklist is routine for any police officer on the job -- body armour,
gun, utility belt, radio and a healthy sense of awareness of the dangers on
the street.

Although routine, RCMP Inspector Gerry Francois felt it important to remind
his officers to make sure everything is in order.

"I told them to ensure they had their safety vests and other equipment
available to them," said the commander of the RCMP Niagara detachment.
"Sometimes, we can get into a routine and can get complacent about just how
dangerous this job is."

Friday was anything but routine for Francois, his officers and anyone else
who carries a badge. Nearly 3,000 kilometres away, a northern Alberta
community was still reeling after the deaths of four RCMP officers.

Four men Francois and the Niagara RCMP had never met.

Four men who were brothers nevertheless.

"It is sobering thing. It is a tragic thing," he said. "Even though we are
a large organization, the lives of every officer touch the rest."

On Thursday, the four Alberta officers were killed by a gunman while they
were executing a warrant at a marijuana grow operation just northwest of
Edmonton.

The gunman was also found dead at the scene, although police will not say
how he died.

Francois said police officers know how dangerous their jobs can be. Their
equipment and a host of protocols are designed to keep them safe.

Still, on most days, a police officer's life is not in danger. Routine
investigations, traffic stops and paperwork aren't that dangerous.

But if the Alberta shootings are a reminder of anything, Francois said,
it's that the potential for an officer to be killed in the line of duty is
starkly real.

"It doesn't happen that often, thank God, but it does happen and it is a
reminder to us all."

The four slain officers were part of the RCMP brotherhood, but they were
also part of the larger fraternity of police officers across the country.

So in the ranks of the Niagara Regional Police, the same feelings of shock
and grief can be found.

At NRP headquarters on Church Street, flags flew at half-staff Thursday.

Deputy Chief Gary Beaulieu echoed Francois' comments, saying the shootings
will make officers more mindful while on the job.

"This is not to say the officers in Alberta were not aware or prepared, but
it does remind us of the dangers."

Francois said while officers grieve, the shootings raise another issue.

"We need to devote more resources to marijuana grow operations," he said.

He said many people regard pot as a harmless drug, but the reality is that
is it is sold by criminals.

"These are not just people sitting around smoking drugs," he said. "These
are dangerous criminals and we have seen what they can do."

Francois said Niagara RCMP officers will be attending the funerals for the
officers. "I do not know where these men were from, but if any of them were
from this area, I can tell you there will be many officers from here and
around the province attending," he said.

Beaulieu said if there is a public police funeral, the NRP will be sending
representatives. He said Chief Wendy Southall will decide who will go and
how many officers will attend.