The RCMP are honouring a New Brunswick man who led the porch light initiative following the fatal shootings of three RCMP officers in Moncton on June 4, 2014.
Moncton’s north side was on lockdown while officers searched for the gunman who fatally shot constables Doug Larche, Dave Ross and Fabrice Gevaudan, and injured two other officers.
During the manhunt, the RCMP turned to social media in order to share information and updates with residents who were locked inside their homes. Amid the hundreds of comments on the RCMP’s Facebook page, one stood out - “Should people in these neighbourhoods have their outside lights on? Will that help or hinder your search?”
Const. Damien Theriault spotted Andrew Sanojca’s post and realized it could, in fact, help police. The call went out to residents, asking them to leave their porch lights on, leading to the capture of Justin Bourque.
In addition to helping the officers track down Bourque, police say the porch light initiative gave Moncton residents and people around the world a way to show their support for those affected by the shootings.
The RCMP received photos from around the world from people who had turned their porch lights on as a sign of respect. Since then, police say it has become a way for other communities to show their support when a police officer has died on duty, noting the recent death of Const. Daniel Woodall in Edmonton.
Sanojca recently visited the New Brunswick RCMP headquarters in Fredericton, where he was presented with a framed print signed with a thank you message from Assistant Commissioner Roger Brown.
“I am humbled to know that my suggestion made a difference in the outcome of this senseless tragedy. I feared for the safety of the officers trying to apprehend the shooter and hoped that by turning on outside lights, the advantage of darkness would be taken away,” said Sanojca.
"It is truly my hope that we won't have to turn on our porch lights to honour any more fallen officers, but the reality is we will, and I am proud this symbol of support has been adopted based on my suggestion.”
Police say Sanojca’s suggestion will live on in Moncton in the form of a memorial for the fallen officers, which will include an illuminated porch light. The memorial will be unveiled next year.
