Statement: Stronger Legislation Needed to Discourage Use of Vehicles as Weapons

Parole regranted to man convicted of on-duty death of RCMP Constable Sarah Beckett 

OTTAWA, ON, June 22, 2022 /CNW/ - Following is a statement from Brian Sauvé, President of the National Police Federation, in response to news of the release of an individual convicted of drunk and dangerous driving in the death of B.C. RCMP Constable Sarah Beckett in 2016:

"We are appalled at the release of the individual convicted of drunk and dangerous driving in the death of Constable Sarah Beckett near Victoria, B.C., in April 2016.

Police officers and the public need better legal protections against the use of vehicles as weapons. Ramming of police vehicles is becoming increasingly more common and includes incidents of deliberate use of a vehicle to severely injure or kill officers. This has contributed to several prominent cases in Canada where officers have lost their lives, including RCMP Constables Sarah Beckett in British Columbia and Shelby Patton in Saskatchewan; Sergeant Andrew Harnett of the Calgary Police Service; and Sergeant Ryan Russell of the Toronto Police Service, among other.

We believe this issue should be addressed through stronger legislation.

In the face of this egregious reminder, our hearts are with the families, colleagues and friends of these officers who were killed so tragically on duty."

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/

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SOURCE National Police Federation

Media contact: Fabrice de Dongo, Manager, Media Relations, [email protected], [phone]