A short service was hosted that evening at the Fallen Four Memorial Park in Mayerthorpe, with mourners and others paying respect gathering in a circle around the four statues of the four officers — Constables Lionide “Leo” Johnston, Anthony Gordon, Brock Myrol and Peter Schiemann.
All four were killed in the line of duty while executing a search warrant at a suspected marijuana grow operation on the farm of James Roszko on March 3, 2005. After murdering the four officers, Roszko committed suicide.
Margaret Thibault, president of the Mayerthorpe Fallen Four Memorial Society, led the memorial service, paying individual tributes to the four officers.
“For Peter, we raise our candle in honour of a great man with tremendous faith. For Leo, we raise our candle in honour of a man who loved to laugh and was afraid of nothing,” she said.
“For Anthony, we raise our candle for his pride in fatherhood and his love of sports. For Brock, we raise our candle for his ability to accept any challenges or hurdles and becoming the best at everything.
“To the five monuments that rise in our Fallen Four Memorial Park in honour of lives well-lived by our heroes and lost way too soon, we lift our candles, our prayers, our hearts, and our thoughts to all.”
Thibault encouraged those in uniform, which included EMS and firefighters in addition to RCMP, to live their best life, stand up for what is right and to remember those who need them and love them with all their hearts.
“In honour of those who still wear a uniform … please treat them with respect, thank them and do what you can to make their jobs less stressful,” she said.
After a short prayer, another member of the memorial society, Jurgen Preugschas, offered thanks to all those who attended the service, especially those in uniform.
“Thank you so much for coming. We do appreciate every day that you are out there protecting us and our families,” he said.
Preugschas pointed out an addition to the memorial park this year: a bear statue placed not far from the statues of the Fallen Four, which was added to the park in memory of Frank Thibault, who died a year ago in an accident.
“We call him Papa Bear, and Papa Bear has become part of our park, as he used to guard and look over his boys in the detachment. He is now standing there, watching … over the four here. I just wanted to share that with you,” Preugschas said.
Sgt. Greg Miller of the Mayerthorpe RCMP said he remembered the day of the tragedy very well, adding that he was working at the time.
“Not once would I have thought then that I would be working here now. But I’m very happy to be. It’s a great community, with some great volunteers,” he said.
“I’m very grateful that everybody could come out tonight. I know that some people have come from quite a distance — in fact, other provinces — to be here tonight. And I truly appreciate that. And I know the members of the Mayerthorpe detachment appreciate that as well.”
Mayerthorpe fire chief Randy Schroeder said he was one of the volunteers who responded on that tragic day to help the four officers, and one of the few firefighters still serving with the Mayerthorpe fire department who was there that day.
“I only bring that up because it is very important for us to celebrate the lives of the fallen, and to keep the memory alive,” he said.
Schroeder paid tribute to the efforts of the volunteers who helped establish the Fallen Four Memorial Park, which held its grand opening in 2008.
He recalled how the committee formed roughly a year and a half after the tragedy and began fundraising to build the park.
Schroeder said there are a number of people still on that committee who are owed thanks “for the hard work that they did, to raise funds, to spread the word that formed this park.”
He also recalled how dozens of volunteers came together to lay sod and prepare the park for what it would eventually become.
“I just don’t want them forgotten in this. So if everybody could give (a round of applause to) the volunteers that keep this place alive, so that we have a place to remember.”
Town of Mayerthorpe mayor Janet Jabush noted how she had a brother who served as a City of Saskatoon police officer for 30 years, and how she luckily never had to experience this kind of tragedy.
“I want to thank you all for being here this evening, and I want to especially thank the folks that are here this evening wearing a uniform, whether it’s red serge, or EMS or fire,” she said.
“You guys all do jobs that I could never imagine and would never want. My hat is off to all of you. And I wish you all safe passage home and a bright future as we remember these guys going forward.”
