Pubdate: Mon, 26 Sep 2005
Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB)
Copyright: 2005, Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact:  http://www.canoe.com/NewsStand/EdmontonSun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/135
Author: Sorcha McGinnis
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

GRIEF ... AND ANGER

Widow Urges Stricter Sentences For Criminals At Ceremony For Fallen 
Police Officers

A young widow, angry her sons will grow up without a father, broke 
her silence at a ceremony honouring peace officers killed in the line 
of duty with a strong call for action.

Kim Gordon, whose husband Const. Anthony Gordon along with three 
fellow RCMP officers were shot dead March 3, spoke out yesterday for 
the first time publicly on the need for tougher sentences for 
criminals and stricter marijuana laws.

"We needed to grieve first and now we want to take some action," said 
Gordon yesterday.

Approximately 1,500 people - including hundreds of officers from 
police services across the province - gathered on the Legislature 
grounds for the annual ceremony to honour fallen police and peace officers.

They joined 4,000 others in Ottawa, where a similar ceremony was held 
on Parliament Hill.

Led by pipers, a sombre parade of officers marched onto the grounds 
where the names of 90 men and women who have died since 1876 were read.

Six new names were added to the roll call, including constables Leo 
Johnston, Brock Myrol and Peter Schiemann. RCMP Const. Jose Agostinho 
- - who was hit and killed by a delivery truck while investigating a 
crash near Millet in July - and Park Warden Robert Jones, who drowned 
in Jasper National Park in December 1954, were also remembered.

Gordon, a registered nurse left alone to raise her children - 
Spencer, 3, and infant Anthony - said her husband had strong feelings 
about marijuana, a drug he believed led to "a path of destruction." 
At the time of the their deaths, the officers were guarding a small 
marijuana grow operation on gunman James Roszko's property near Mayerthorpe.

She said her husband often despaired he did not have all the legal 
tools necessary to do his job.

"He and many of his colleagues felt their efforts were wasted by the 
time criminal charges were disposed of. Whether it was plea bargains, 
thrown-out charges or minimal sentencing, he felt his job, that of 
putting the bad guy away, couldn't be accomplished," she said.

Her thoughts were echoed by Brock Myrol's father, Keith Myrol, who 
urged judges to be stricter with sentencing, and for parole board 
officers to keep offenders behind bars longer.

"Start penalizing these violent animals for what they have done," he said.

The families are asking Canadians to show their support for these 
reforms by leaving their front porch lights on from 8 to 10 p.m. on Oct. 3.

Alberta Lt.-Gov. Norman Kwong said not one of the officers honoured 
yesterday died without purpose.

"In death as in life, they defended the innocent and upheld the most 
important values of our civilization," he said.

Conservative justice critic Vic Toews applauded the families' efforts.

He said his party continues to fight for an end to conditional 
sentences for violent or repeat offenders, and a return to earned, as 
opposed to mandatory, parole.

He also said everyone convicted of a violent offence should have a 
period of parole tacked on to the end of their prison sentence.
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MAP posted-by: Elizabeth Wehrman