Five officers of the Prince Albert Police Service were honoured with a wreath laying ceremony during National Police Week this week. (Submitted photo/Prince Albert Police Service)

By paNOW Staff

National Police Week

P.A. Police honour five former officers with wreath ceremony

May 18, 2023 | 10:16 AM

The Prince Albert Police Service honoured five former members during a memorial service earlier this week, during National Police Week.

Police Chief Jonathan Bergen laid wreaths for each of the five officers. Cst. Matthew Kwasnica was electrocuted while responding to a vehicle collision in 1956. Sgt. Garfield (Garry) Drake, Cst. Eddie Banman, Cst. Allan Telfer, and Cst. Tim Ballantyne were also honoured after they died while they served the department (but were not on duty at the time).

Bergen said it’s important to remember those who served and whose contributions over the years helped shape the Prince Albert Police Service. The laying of wreaths during National Police Week was an annual tradition throughout the 1970s and ‘80s.

“Our alumni members continue to have strong connections to our community, and are helping us stay connected to those who served before us,” Chief Bergen said. “In remembering their names and their service as police officers in our community, we are ensuring their contributions continue to be remembered as our organization moves forward.”

Your Guide to Lasting Wellness and Everyday Vitality

1h ago

Murder mystery

St. Mary drama club unravels world's ultimate whodunit

16h ago

BDO Debt Solutions

Deck the Halls Without Breaking the Bank: Tips for a Budget-Friendly Holiday

Nov 18, 2024

Hired in 1951, Cst. Matthew Kwasnica had been promoted to the rank of First Class Constable just a month before he passed away on duty in August of 1956. He is remembered as a fine man and a valued member of the police service who showed promise in his short career. He left behind a wife and two young children. His daughter Susan participated in the memorial service for her father Wednesday. Kwasnica Place in Crescent Acres is named in his honour.

Sgt. Garry Drake served from 1960 to 1996 and spent most of his career on front-line Patrol. In the mid-1960s, he joined other officers in leading the Monarch Club for youth, which was established in the 1940s to offer a guiding hand to youth on probation. In 1975, Sgt. Drake was appointed to respond to increasing rates of vandalism and youth crime in the city. His plan for a youth detail in Prince Albert to offer programs and support for youth at risk of offending resulted in an 11 per cent drop in the number of young people being sent to court by 1978.

Sgt. Drake received the Police Exemplary Service Medal from the Governor General of Canada upon reaching 20 years of service in October 1983. He received the first bar for 30 years of service in November 1990.

Cst. Eddie Banman served from 1972 to 1994 and designed the first arm badge, worn on police uniforms. The basic design, which still resembles flashes worn by current PAPS members, was adopted by several other police services in Saskatchewan in 1976.

Banman was also remembered for starting a Police Ventures group through the Scouts program for youth to enjoy the outdoors. He received the Police Exemplary Service Medal from the Governor General of Canada for 20 years of service in January 1993.

Cst. Allan Telfer passed away in 1972 at the age of 28. A police badge sits atop his headstone in memory of his time with our service. Telfer Bay in Crescent Acres is named in his honour.

Cst. Tim Ballantyne joined the police service in 2005 after participating in an Indigenous mentoring program. He served on Patrol until his untimely death in December 2010. Tim Ballantyne was 27 years old and was described as a caring father and a good friend.

Bergen was joined by Retired Chief of Police Wes Stubbs and retired officers Gene Miller, Al Fraser, Eldon Laird, and Rick Galloway.

—

panews@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow