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Memorial held in Langford on 6th anniversary of Const. Sarah Beckett’s death

Popular West Shore RCMP officer was killed in the line of duty in 2016
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Retired RCMP officer Kathy Rochlitz and Insp. Steve Rose lay flowers at the plaque commemorating Const. Sarah Beckett at a memorial outside West Shore RCMP on April 5, six years after she was killed in the line of duty. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)

Friends, family and colleagues gathered to remember Const. Sarah Beckett, who died while performing her duties with the West Shore RCMP six years ago April 5.

A moment of silence was held outside the West Shore RCMP detachment in Langford just after 11 a.m. Tuesday and flowers were laid by a plaque commemorating Beckett.

“No matter whose path she crossed, she always made an impact: with her friendly demeanor, her ability to bring light to difficult situations or laughter, her strong, persistent investigative skills and her genuine care for others,” said Kathy Rochlitz, a retired RCMP member and former colleague and friend of Beckett.

“She was too young to be taken from us and her passing has left us all grieving. Although time has passed, we continue to miss her; her smile, and her bundle of energy. We are grateful this year that COVID restrictions have lessened and that we can gather today and remember Sarah and the impact she had on all of us individually and as a community.”

Beckett was killed April 5, 2016 after her police car was crashed into by a drunk driver. The driver, Kenneth Jacob Fenton, was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison. At the time of the crash, Fenton had alcohol, cocaine and marijuana in his system and was speeding through the 50 km/hr zone, being pursued by another police officer who noticed Fenton’s truck had no tail lights.

Since the incident, West Shore RCMP has resolved to tackle impaired driving.

ALSO READ: 5 years later, crash that claimed officer’s life still reverberates through Greater Victoria

ALSO READ: Langford’s Sarah Beckett Memorial playground opens


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Flowers surround a plaque commemorating Const. Sarah Beckett outside the West Shore RCMP detachment on Tuesday. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)