PW_4_2024

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The fallen officers

Canadian Contrasts Neil Hallam , Nottinghamshire Branch During July and August 2024, Elaine and I toured the east coast of New England and Canada. Our trip was centred on the Blue Knights Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club’s 50th Anniversary, in Maine, but we extended it to a 32 day tour. R arely stopping more than two nights in each place , we visited: Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Brunswick, Thumbprints on the memorial in Moncton

murdered on duty. A bronze monument features life-size statues of RCMP Constables Doug Larche, Dave Ross and Fabrice Gevaudan who were killed in 2014. It is in Riverfront Park, next to the Petitcodiac River. The monument depicts the three men wearing different uniforms — Larche in red serge, Gevaudan in patrol uniform, and Ross in the uniform of a dog handler. The details of each uniform are intricate, showing boot laces, belt buckles and bulging pockets. Around the statues are maple leaves for each family, their communities, and local schools. 1,500 people turned out to provide thumb prints, which were cast into the bronze leaves. They were among the officers who responded to a gunman, who ignored civilians, choosing only to shoot at police. Three officers were killed, but many others were hospitalised. Bourque was captured following a 30-hour manhunt that gripped the city with fear. He is serving a life sentence with no chance of parole for 75 years, which seems far more just than the UK’s light sentencing. Our visit to the monument was moving, as JF personally knew the dead officers. But the public location and community involvement in the monument’s creation seemed in stark contrast to the very anti-police atmosphere that is prevalent in the UK today. After our tour with JF, our visit took a more social turn, with a visit to Paul Robichaud’s home in the village of Sainte-Marie-de-Kent. Paul is now retired from the RCMP’s airborne unit. In contrast to our own overpopulated country, outside of big towns and cities, Canadian houses sit on much bigger plots than ours. Paul’s beautiful home had a swimming pool and large patio, where he laid on a BBQ for us. We were joined by JF’s wife Celine, Paul’s wife Huguette and her sister. Huguette taught Elaine how to prepare a lobster for eating, which had been on her to do list for this trip.

Prince Edward Island (PEI) and Nova Scotia. I submitted IPA travel forms for both USA and Canada, managing to meet up with members in both New Brunswick and PEI. Jean-Francois (JF) LeBlanc and Paul Robichaud answered our enquiry, and we altered our route to visit them in New Brunswick. JF took us to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) station, at Shediac, where he serves as a Community Officer. Policing in Canada is structured differently to the UK. Many cities and large towns have their own Police Force, which deal with most of their areas policing. The RCMP deals with anything Federal, but also fills the gaps, where there is no local force. Shediac was one of the towns where the Mounties were the only police presence. The RCMP station was much like the stations we have on large city estates. There were no horses, just a mix of saloon cars and 4x4s. There was one ceremonial red tunic hanging up, but the officers wear a very standard looking police uniform for routine patrol. The station had a few cells and a breathalyser room. Prisoners could be held there for up to 24 hours, before having to be transferred to a larger custody suite. The judiciary also play an active role in steering the investigation, with a judge phoning the investigator periodically, to supervise the case. The biggest surprise was the access provided by a police ID. Despite being a passenger in a USA registered hire car, JF’s ID got us through the pay barriers at two popular sea front areas. Canada still operates on the basis that off duty officers are expected to help when needed, so they are granted access perks. In Moncton, JF took us to a very moving public memorial to three of his colleagues who were

Neil at the memorial in Moncton

JF, Elaine and Neil at Shediac

The next day, we moved onto PEI, crossing over the impressive Confederation Bridge. Opened in 1997, the eight mile long bridge is Canada’s longest bridge, and the world’s longest bridge over ice-covered water (not frozen in summer, it was glorious sunshine). Our IPA contact on PEI was Alex Jameson and his wife Ann. Alex was a Ministry of Defence (MoD) police officer, serving most of his career in Scotland. The Riverdale Cidery is how they are spending their retirement. Alex brews a range of ciders, from their own orchard, and from wild fruits gathered from around their land. The results were delicious, and I bought all four varieties.

POLICE WORLD Vol 69 No.4, 2024

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