RCMP deaths resonate in Sask.

Whenever an RCMP officer is killed in the line of duty, the loss is particularly felt in Regina and indeed across Saskatchewan — the spiritual “home” of the Mounties since 1885.

For almost 130 years, the RCMP Academy, “Depot” Division, has been training those who serve in our national police service. Though their stay in this province is relatively short — a 24-week basic training course at Depot — cadets from all over Canada come to know us and our capital city, and we come to know them.

Constables David Ross, 32, Fabrice Georges Gevaudan, 45, and Douglas James Larche, 40, were once three such cadets. Those who have attended the famous Sunset-Retreat Ceremony at Depot may even have seen them wearing their iconic scarlet tunics during the drill display.

On Wednesday night in Moncton, those once-proud cadets were gunned down — their lives and careers brutally and tragically ended. Twenty-four year-old Justin Bourque has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder and two charges of attempted murder involving two other Mounties.

Today, our province grieves with the families, friends and colleagues of the three fallen officers. Provincial flags will remain lowered to half-mast until sunset of the day funerals or memorial services are held for the officers.

We share the pain and sorrow of those who work at Depot. We can only imagine the thoughts of those cadets now undergoing training, who are doubtless reflecting on the price they, too, might one day have to pay to serve and protect.

Moncton now joins Mayerthorpe, Alta., and Spiritwood in this province on the roll call of particularly grievous loss of life suffered by the Mounties. Indeed, Moncton is the secondworst RCMP tragedy after Mayerthorpe, where four RCMP constables — Peter Christopher Schiemann, Anthony Fitzgerald Orion Gordon, Lionide Nicholas Johnston and Brock Warren Myrol — were shot and killed in March, 2005. Their killer, James Roszko, died from a self-inflicted gunshot.

Tragedy struck closer to home in July 2006, when RCMP constables Robin Cameron and Marc Bourdages died after being shot near Spiritwood while pursuing the suspect in an assault complaint. As was the case in Moncton, officers from other jurisdictions in Canada turned up in Spiritwood to help in the search for the shooter. Community residents opened up their homes to the officers, and brought food to the local detachment to feed the searchers.

Curtis Dagenais later was convicted of two counts of firstdegree murder and one count of attempted murder.

The names of Mounties killed in the line of duty are not forgotten. Each year, the RCMP National Memorial Service is held at the academy in Regina. Senior RCMP officers join the families, friends and colleagues of fallen officers to remember and honour them.

Last September, the names of 231 Mounties who have made the ultimate sacrifice since 1873 were read out at that service. Among them are 28 Mounties who have died while serving across Saskatchewan. All the names are also inscribed on the RCMP cenotaph.

Sadly, three more names must now be added. We will remember them, always.

The editorials that appear in this space represent the opinion of The StarPhoenix. They are unsigned because they do not necessarily represent the personal views of the writers. The positions taken in the editorials are arrived at through discussion among the members of the newspaper’s editorial board, which operates independently from the news departments of the paper.