National Police Federation Responds to On-Duty Stabbing of RCMP Member Responding to Mental Health Call

EDMONTON, AB, Feb. 10, 2023 /CNW/ - Following is a statement from Brian Sauvé, President, National Police Federation, following an on-duty stabbing of an RCMP Member in Thorhild, Alberta: 

"On Tuesday, February 7, one of our Members was seriously injured in an on-duty stabbing while attending a mental health-related police call in Thorhild, Alberta. This is yet another example of the real danger that our Members contend with every shift, putting their lives on the line to keep our communities safe.

As all police officers know, any call can become a risk to themselves or the public, and our Members are highly trained and prepared for any situation. Even in the face of this reality, however, no one should go to work expecting to be seriously injured, or worse.

Against the backdrop of increasing demands and years of underfunding by all levels of government, our Members and all police officers have been shouldering the load for a high volume of mental health calls. This incident is an important reminder about the need for partnerships between both police and mental health workers, given the potential risk for all involved.

Our thoughts are with our Member, their family, and colleagues at the Redwater detachment. We wish them a speedy and successful recovery and hope all involved Members get the support they need."

About the National Police Federation:

The National Police Federation (NPF) was certified to represent ~20,000 RCMP Members serving across Canada and internationally in the summer of 2019. The NPF is the largest police labour relations organization in Canada; the second largest in North America and is the first independent national association to represent RCMP Members.

The NPF is focused on improving public safety in Canada by increasing resources, equipment, training, and other supports for our Members who have been under-funded for far too long. Better resourcing and supports for the RCMP will enhance community safety and livability in the communities we serve, large and small, across Canada.

For more information: https://npf-fpn.com/ and KeepAlbertaRCMP.ca

NPF: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

SOURCE National Police Federation

Media contacts: Fabrice de Dongo, Manager, Media Relations, [email protected], [phone]; Sarah Kavanaghoordinator, Media Relations, [email protected], [phone]