People often make fun of Canada’s RCMP. From the distinctive red dress uniform, to the variety of accents, to jokes about the shorthand name “Mounties.” In the way of all Canadians, it’s taken in stride with a smile and a shrug.
However, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are just that…police. They are the protectors that dedicate themselves to the people and the country they love. They stretch from one coast to the other and to the fartherst northern reaches. The men and women that join the RCMP are made of stern stuff. Integrity, honour, faith, courage, compassion, and strength.
On Thursday, March 3rd, four RCMP constables were shot and killed just outside Mayerthorpe, Alberta. A farming community just a couple of hours from where I live.
Peter Christopher Schiemann, Anthony Fitzgerald Orion Gordon, Lionide Nicholas Johnston and Broack Warren Myrol were killed in the line of duty, and I borrowed this poem from Grace’s blog, because her friend says it better than I ever could.
The Judgment
The officer stood and faced his God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining,
Just as brightly as his brass.
“Step forward now, Officer,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To my church have you been true?”
The officer squared his shoulder and said,
“No, Lord I guess I ain’t,
Because those of us who carry badges
can’t always be a saint.
I’ve had to work most Sundays,
And at times my talk was rough,
And sometimes I’ve been violent
Because the streets are tough.
But I never took a penny
That wasn’t mine to keep.
Though I worked a lot of overtime,
when the bills got to steep.
And I never passed a cry for help
Though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I’ve wept an unmanly tear.
I know I don’t deserve a place
among the people here.
They never wanted me around
except to calm their fear.
If you’ve a place for me here, Lord,
it needn’t be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don’t…I’ll understand.”
There was silence all around the throne,
where the saints often trod.
As the officer waited quietly
for the judgment of his God.
“Step forward now, Officer.
You’ve borne your burdens well.
Come walk a beat on heaven’s streets,
You’ve done your time in hell”
Hey Sasha,
He didn’t write the poem. I think it’s been around forever and his brother, who’s also a cop, gave it to him. Kind of a "pass it on" legacy.
The brutal shooting in Alberta hit closer to home than I thought. I know one of the officers that works there. Not one of those that died, but one of those that’s dealing with the aftermath. I haven’t called him yet because I’m sure he’s bombarded and figured I would wait until things cool down a bit. He used to send his new members to do workshops with us. When we last parted, it was when he was being promoted and given a post in Alberta. It just didn’t click with me that he was going to be involved in this.
Terribly sad. Marijuana does have a bad side and we just witnessed it.
I don’t know. My mind is all a jumble because I’ve had too many close calls with this "guy" and this is just another example of the dangers they put themselves in.
Your post was beautiful. Take care.
This whole ordeal started with a sheriff going into repossess a truck the guy stoped making payments on because the dealership wouldn’t give him a new light. This is just a short distance to the small town I grew up in. It will be a day I will remember always as it is the day my Grandmother also passed away. For our men in uniform I have great respect. Especially to the young Officer that carries the same last name as the bad guy. When I was 9 a friend of the family lost her RCMP husband of just 3 months to a rifle wielding crasy.
Thanks for posting the poem, Sasha. i’m still in a bit of shock about the news. I think about the families and friends of those poor men and my heart weeps.
The poem made me so teary, and the situation so very horrible. Hugs.
Chey
It is almost too much to
take it all in; imagine the
families(loved ones) having to deal with this. My heart goes out to all.
A very nice poem. I live
in Sask.
Awful…just awful!
Hugs!
Bless you, Sasha. Very well said. May they rest in peace, and may God give their comrades strength.
Grace~ That poem says it all to me. I was having a very hard time finding the words to honour these men and when I read that, the words just started to flow.
I know how you feel about wantign to callup friends that are RCMP. When I lived in BC and was heaavy into martial arts I used to work with the RCMP teaching ladies self-defence classes in schools and women’s programs. I knwo they weren’t even close to beign in Mayerthorpe, but I still have the urge to get intouch witht hem and say "Thank you , for doing what you do."
Kev~ Thank you.
Dianna, Jaq~ I think the tragic deaths have shocked us all. Sad, unnecessary, and hurtful, they bring us back to the reality of what is going on in our own backyard. To me, it’s even more shocking because Mayerthorpe, and the surrounding area, is such a small farming community that it’s just not something you would ever imagine happening there.
I’m sure all our thoughts and prayers are with them, and appreciated.