Eight RCMP officers have lost their lives on the job in just 31 months

Chris Selley (Macleans)

March 2, 2005: Constables Leo Johnston, Anthony Gordon, Brock Myrol and Peter Schiemann are dispatched to assist a bailiff in repossessing a truck from Jim Roszko on his property in Rochfort Bridge, Alta. Roszko flees, but the officers discover stolen property and a marijuana grow-op, and remain to investigate. Having made his way back during the night, Roszko ambushes the four officers in a Quonset hut, killing them—the worst death toll for an RCMP operation in more than 40 years. He fires on two other officers before taking shelter, wounded, in the hut, where he commits suicide. Roszko was well known in the area for his hatred of police and for harassing neighbours, and had a history of sexual and firearms offenses—in all, he had been convicted of 14 crimes over a 30-year period. The province released a report insisting Roszko hadn’t met the criteria to be designated a dangerous offender, and the RCMP has rejected allegations that its officers were uninformed about his violent past or unprepared to confront him.
Jul. 7, 2006: After responding to an assault complaint in Spiritwood, Sask., Constables Robin Cameron and Marc Bourdages are shot some 30 kilometres away after pursuing a suspect, Curtis Dagenais. The officers both succumbed to their injuries on Jul. 15. A Globe and Mail report suggested the two officers may have been trapped behind their cruiser’s airbags after colliding with Dagenais’ vehicle in an attempt to force him off the road, rendering them helpless. Dagenais, who has a long and troubled history with police, turned himself in on Jul. 18 and was charged with two counts of first-degree murder—he suffered only a severe ankle injury, and appeared none the worse for wear despite 11 days on the lamb. Questions arose as to how he managed to elude capture for so long, particularly since he sought help at his father’s home immediately after the incident.

Oct. 6, 2007: Constable Christopher Worden dies from multiple gun shot wounds in Hay River, N.W.T., after responding solo to a 5 a.m. noise complaint at a residence that has been described as “the most notorious crack house in town.” What happened next is undetermined, but he was discovered mortally wounded by two other Mounties after he lost contact with the detachment, and succumbed to his wounds in hospital. A week later, police arrested 23-year-ol Emrah Bulatci, who had been convicted of a weapons offense months earlier, and charged him with first-degree murder.

Nov. 6, 2007: Constable Doug Scott is shot to death in Kimmirut, Nunavut, while investigating a reportedly impaired driver. Just 20 years old, the rookie Mountie was on solo patrol in the wee hours of the morning; his body was found by the community’s only other RCMP officer after Scott didn’t respond to radio calls. Pingoatuk Kolola, a 37-year-old with a history of domestic violence, was arrested without incident later the same night and charged with first-degree murder. Both Scott’s murder and that of Const. Warden have bolstered calls for tougher policies on when officers can investigate complaints without backup.