The father-in-law of an RCMP officer killed during a string of shootings in Moncton, N.B. three years ago, is calling for Ottawa and the RCMP to come together before a trial commences on the Mounties’ response to the incident.
READ MORE : Trial of RCMP on labour charges after shootings in Moncton, N.B., set for April
Charlie Goguen – whose son-in-law, Doug Larche, was one of the three officers killed during Justin Bourque’s 2014 shooting spree – says that the trial will traumatize the community and family members of the deceased constables who are still trying to heal.
“My family, the families of Constable Dave Ross and Fabrice Gevaudan, and the community have all suffered long enough. We need to find a way to move forward and we cannot do so if we must go through a trial,” Goguen said at a press conference held Monday at the monument that memorializes the three Mounties.
Two other constables, Eric Dubois and Darlene Goguen, were wounded during the shooting.
The trial is focused on four alleged violations of the Labour Code related to the equipment, training and supervision of the police officers. If convicted, the RCMP faces up to $1 million in fines for each charge, and up to two years in prison.
READ MORE: Monument celebrating lives of fallen RCMP officers unveiled in Moncton
The RCMP have plead not guilty to all charges.
The charges came after a Global News investigation into the preparedness of RCMP officers to handle active shooter situations.
Implementation of recommendations
Goguen also called for the implementation of all 64 recommendations in the MacNeil Report, an independent review of the Moncton shooting.
Some of the recommendations include the deployment of patrol carbines across the RCMP as well as integrating training in the use of the weapon for officers. The report also found that training around the use of hard body armour was lacking among officers.
“The force has made significant progress towards addressing and implementing many of Mr. MacNeil’s recommendations,” wrote Harold Pfleiderer, with the RCMP, in an emailed statement.
READ MORE: RCMP one year after Moncton: what’s changed?
According to Pfleiderer, the RCMP have trained more than 50 per cent of front line RCMP officers in the use of the patrol carbine and have set a goal of training 65 per cent of the force by March 31, 2018.
Avoiding a trial
Goguen has asked the citizens of Greater Moncton to call their elected officials at all levels of government to support his effort in avoiding a trial.
“We all want to find a way to go through life, even if there is a permanent void that can never be filled,” Goguen said. “The outpouring of love has been remarkable and we will be forever grateful.”
READ MORE: Wives of fallen Moncton Mounties reveal personal touches to monument
Two months have been set aside for the trial.
With files from The Canadian Press and Shelley Steeves, Global News
Comments