MOUNTIE'S DEATH SPARKS CALL FOR AUDIT OF STORED DRUGS

NANAIMO -- RCMP should reconsider how they store seized drugs before they
are destroyed, says a coroner's report into the death of a Vancouver Island
Mountie last year.

Constable Barry Schneider of the Courtenay detachment was found dead of a
drug overdose in his home Nov. 29, 2000. He was coordinator of the North
Island Drug Awareness Program.

Coroner Glenn Partridge said Schneider twice got heroin and cocaine from
the Courtenay RCMP detachment for drug lectures, the second time, the day
before he died. In neither case did he sign for the drugs and in both
cases, the samples were supposed to be destroyed, Partridge said.

Toxicology tests found Schneider overdosed on heroin and cocaine.

Partridge recommended the RCMP conduct regular audits of drug samples and
an audit of all RCMP positions where people can access drug samples.

The RCMP came to the same conclusions following an internal investigation.