COUNTY MOURNS MURDERED OFFICERS

Flowers lay below a flag flying at half-mast in front of the Pictou
RCMP office Friday, as police in Pictou County reacted with sorrow and
disbelief to the murder of four colleagues in Alberta.

Staff Sgt. Ross Landry of Pictou County District RCMP said a church
service is being planned for March 20 for police officers in the
county and any community members who would also like to attend. A
private prayer service for was held at RCMP headquarters in Halifax
Friday.

Four RCMP officers were fatally shot by during a drug bust at a
marijuana grow operation in Alberta Thursday. They've been identified
as Const. Anthony F.O. Gordon, 28; Const. Leo N. Johnston, 34; Const.
Peter C. Shiemann, 25; and Const. Brock Myrol, 29, who graduated from
the RCMP training facility on a few weeks ago.

Landry said Victim Services representatives and RCMP chaplains made
themselves available to officers needing someone to talk to. He said
officers were encouraged to talk about the tragedy, and did so.

"It's a very sad day," he said. "We can all relate to the situation
that those officers found themselves in."

Cpl. Duane Rutledge, major crime investigator with New Glasgow Police
Services, said the mood was sombre Friday in his department as well.

"It brings back the reality that at any given time, it's something
that can happen to all of us," he said. "I think the sad point is some
people still think we're expendable."

There's an element of danger involved in raiding marijuana grow
operations, the same as with an other major crime investigations, said
Rutledge. It's common for there to be firearms on the premises and
while police gather as much information as possible about the property
and its occupants in advance, they can't always know what they're
walking into.

"You're always cognizant of the fact that you could be going into some
place that is boobytrapped," he said. "You never know what's going
through their heads when they see you coming up the driveway."

Det. Sgt. Eric MacNeil of New Glasgow Police Services said the
Canadian government needs to take a second look at penalties for
marijuana grow operations. He said there seems to be a mindset in
society that this type of crime is not a big deal.

"It's organized crime, is what it is," he said, adding that relaxing
marijuana laws will just encourage it more.

MacNeil said getting house arrest or even a year or two in jail isn't
much of a deterrant for someone who can make a million dollars growing
weed.