'HEY, HE WAS A GOOD COP'

'Remember him for how he lived, not how he died'

I am really upset over the lack of compassion the news media has shown
towards the family of RCMP Const. Barry Schneider, who died just over
a month ago.

These people are still mourning the loss of their son, husband, father
and friend.

Does it really matter how this man died?

Did he not dedicate his life to teaching children and youth about the
effects of drug and alcohol abuse?

Although he died of a drug overdose, he was still a great man and
teacher.

RCMP officers are only human, and can make mistakes and use bad
judgment at times -- like the rest of us.

I found it in poor taste that the media had a feeding frenzy with this
story, and I hope children can have the same respect for the D.A.R.E.
program now as they did when this cop was alive.

To his family, I wish them all the best.

And to Barry, thanks for the great work you have done in teaching our
children.

Toni and Mario Graillon,

Powell River

Barry Schneider spent his professional career working very hard to
make a difference in society.

Don't let his good work be overshadowed by the fact that he was human
and fell victim to a disease that knows no boundaries.

What no one will ever know is how helpless and hopeless he must have
felt knowing he was going down while not being able to ask for help
because of his position.

Barry's death is a profound lesson about the lure of
drugs.

Parents can use this as an example to show their children that even
though he spent his life trying to get drugs off the streets and later
worked to teach children about the evils of drugs, it wasn't enough to
protect him from them.

For others in a similar position as Barry, the lesson is that no one
is bulletproof when it comes to this disease and that you can't deal
with it on your own.

I thank his family for the hard work he put into trying to make the
world a better place. And although his death was tragic, I can use
it as an example when I tell my grandchildren and others about how
powerful this disease is.

We don't have to use his name, just the example that someone who was
so against drugs ended up dying from them.

What an anti-drug message.

Thank you for the message, and may you rest in peace
Barry.

B. Joneson,
Vancouver