OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH POLICE EVERYWHERE

The deaths of four RCMP officers in Alberta was a tragedy felt by many
across Canada.

Felt by their family and friends, of course, and by all police officers
ever to put on a badge.

For those of us who live in the towns, villages, hamlets and rural areas of
Saugeen Shores and Grey and Bruce counties the tragedy came a little too
close to home.

Mayerthorpe could have easily been Glammis, Arkwright or Turners, tiny
communities very far from the mean streets of Toronto.

It was only last month that area police took down a significant grow-op in
Williamsford, and in January that Saugeen Shores Police Chief Dave Preston
said the drug problem was no different here than anywhere else.

It's not easy to know what we can do to help prevent a similar tragedy from
occurring here, but extra vigilance might play a part. Just as Community
Watch programs encourage residents to keep a watchful eye on their
community, similar curiousity and caution could be exercised in rural
areas. The more information police receive about suspicious goings-on, the
easier their job becomes. Preston assures us that the police welcome calls.
A detail that might seem somewhat trivial is often an important part of the
larger puzzle.

In the meantime, our thoughts are with the family and friends of the four
constables, and police officers everywhere.