FORMER OFFICER CALLS FOR TOUGHER LAWS

A retired RCMP member held his own candlelight vigil at the city's
Hope statue in memory of two slain officers and says laws have to get
tougher to protect those in the line of duty.

Cpl. J.E. (Joe) Belyea was stationed in Lloydminster from 1971 to
1978 and as a retired veteran, he felt obligated to do something in
support of Const. Robin Cameron and Const. Marc Bourdages of the
Spiritwood detachment, who died Monday as a result of injuries
suffered on July 7. Belyea was in charge of the rural detachment for
the Lloydminster RCMP, and felt he owed it to the fallen officers to
light two candles for them at the base of the Hope statue to ensure
they would not be forgotten.

"My concern as a retired member is to get after the government and
get stronger laws with regards to police officers, social workers,
judges - people in the line of duty," said Belyea. "With the increase
in crime and drugs, it's quite a problem and as a veteran I'd like to
express to the government that with our rich economy out here in the
west, we have to step up to the plate and get some teeth in our laws
because there's just too much of this senseless crap going on."

Bourdages and Cameron had been in critical condition in a Saskatoon
hospital since the shooting, which occurred near the community of
Mildred, about 230 kilometres east of Lloydminster.

One of Belyea's main concerns is the amount of criminals who have
histories of breaking the law, but are repeatedly returned to freedom
without punishment.

"The laws have just got to get tougher on those who have committed
crimes and are released too early," said Belyea. "Like (James Roszko)
in Mayerthorpe who shot those four officers, everybody in his family
admitted he should have been incarcerated. We've just got to put more
teeth into the laws. Not that it's going to prevent all of this, but
it's a start."

Bulyea said he is pushing for minimum-maximum sentences which would
see a minimum sentence handed out to criminals, as opposed to putting
them through the revolving door and back out into society. Bulyea is
also concerned about the rising crime and drug trade in the Border
City, something he said has spiralled out of control since his time
on the force.

"I'm very concerned because I faced a lot of these things when I was
in the force and to see them increasing the way they are, it really
bothers me. When I retired from the force, the drug scene was just
starting to get heavy in Lloydminster. Today, with everything moving
so fast, young people making so much money, getting out, and they
don't care about police officers.

"There's just such a lack of personnel. The crime rate has increased
at such a rate that policemen have not been available to keep up. So,
if the RCMP can step up their recruitment it would be a good start."

Belyea hopes events like this don't deter people from entering the RCMP.

"The RCMP is a great life," said Belyea. "As a former member, I am
very proud to have served and been able to do these things to help
others. Even after we get out, we're just as proud as the day we went in.

"Once you're a member, you will always be a member."