RCMP SHOOTINGS HIT HOME

Officers in New Westminster have joined the national community of
police in mourning the murders of four RCMP officers in Alberta on
Thursday.

"The reaction here in our organization, and I think for every police
officer, is shock," said Staff Sgt. Casey Dehaas of the New
Westminster Police Service. "We're saddened, and our hearts go out to
the families.

"Every officer is just in total shock because of these
events."

On Wednesday, RCMP officers had gone to the home outside Mayerthorpe,
Alta. - which is about 150 kilometres northwest of Edmonton - to help
with a court-ordered seizure of property.

While there, they found evidence suggesting there was a marijuana grow
operation on the site and the police officers got a search warrant.

Members of the Mayerthorpe and nearby Whitecourt detachments, along
with the RCMP and Edmonton Police combined Green Team, executed the
search warrants at the home, with the owner still absent.

At about 4:30 a.m. on Thursday, two uniformed officers stayed behind
to guard the property until Edmonton RCMP auto theft officers could
come to look for stolen property. Just before 9 a.m., two more
officers arrived.

These were the four officers that were killed.

At 9:15 a.m., the two officers from Edmonton reached the home and,
getting out of their car, heard shots coming from a Quonset hut on the
property.

A man came out of the hut and fired at the Edmonton RCMP officers, who
shot back, calling for back-up when the man went back inside the
Quonset hut.

Shortly after 2 p.m., police found the four police officers - three
from Mayerthorpe, one from Whitecourt - dead inside the hut, along
with the suspect.

Dehaas has a special connection to that area.

Before joining the local police force, he served with the RCMP and was
in Alberta for nine years.

In fact, it was a proposed transfer to Mayerthorpe that was behind his
decision to leave the RCMP and join the New Westminster police so he
and his wife could raise their family in a larger community.

"Having been with the RCMP, served in Alberta, and I was supposed to
be transferred to Mayerthorpe before I left in 1979, (I) have a bond,"
Dehaas said.

His initial reaction is that he'd like to attend a memorial service or
funeral if it's possible.

"I hope to - I would like to, _ because of my connection."

Dehaas said no one knows yet what happened at the rural home and he
can't comment on procedures.

"Once we get a clearer position as to how it all unfolded, _ I won't
comment on this individual and how the search was done until more is
known."

However, Dehaas did say that people who grow marijuana are
underestimated in the justice system.

"There is an epidemic in Canada and we have to treat them a heck of a
lot more seriously. The courts have to treat them a lot more seriously.

"These are not the 'mom-and-pop growing a few plants' operations,"
Dehaas noted.

"They are large, they are booby-trapped and they are defended by
people with firearms."

He said there have already been calls by some politicians for the
Criminal Code to be revised, but it's not necessary.

"The tough sentences are already in the Criminal Code - they're not
being imposed. The questions have to go back to the courts, the
judges, the federal government - why are they not being imposed?"

Local police will be dealing with the tragedy even as they go about
their duties, Dehaas said.

"It's a tough day for everybody. It's going to be a tough
weekend.

"Every officer I know, I know for myself, we hurt. We grieve. We also
know we have a job to do."

And they know danger is inherent in their jobs.

"We will go forward and we will continue to serve and protect, without
a doubt," said Dehaas. "We can't just stop."