August 13, 2026
Whitehorse, YT – Below is a statement from Pacific/North Board Director, Britt Bancroft, following today’s sentencing hearing for Sheldon Lawrence Keobke, who shot and injured an RCMP Member while officers executed a high-risk arrest warrant in 2022:
“Across Canada, police officers are facing a disturbing rise in violence, including shootings, assaults, and targeted attacks. Police associations and leaders across the country have been sounding the alarm and calling for urgent action. Today’s outcome only reinforces how serious an issue this is.
The National Police Federation is deeply disappointed by the resolution of this case. In September 2022, Cst. Carter was seriously injured when an offender opened fire on him and other officers during the execution of a high-risk warrant. This was a deliberate and violent attempt to kill or injure officers that placed the lives of officers and everyone at the scene in danger.
For more than three years, Cst. Carter and his family have waited for justice. To now see this case conclude with a reduced charge and a sentence that fails to reflect the seriousness of these actions is both frustrating and unacceptable.
When someone who shoots and seriously injures a police officer is not held appropriately accountable for that offence, it puts all police officers at further risk. It tells frontline officers that the risks they face are not being taken seriously and signals to violent offenders that attacks on police may not carry meaningful consequences. It insults the courage and selfless sacrifice our Members display every shift.
Violence against police officers must never be normalized, minimized, or accepted as part of the job. Despite significant training, risk assessments, and other protections, the work that police officers do is inherently dangerous. As a result, our Members deserve to know that when they are purposefully and violently attacked in the line of duty, the justice system will respond with the seriousness those actions warrant.
The National Police Federation continues to demand immediate action to protect our police officers. This includes meaningful bail reform alongside broader action to address the violence facing police officers and other first responders across Canada. Our Members—and all Canadians—deserve a justice system that holds these violent offenders fully accountable.”
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About the National Police Federation:
The National Police Federation (NPF) represents ~20,000 RCMP Members serving across Canada and internationally. We are the largest police union in Canada. The NPF is focused on improving public safety for all Canadians, including our Members by advocating for much-needed investment in the public safety continuum. This includes investments in police resourcing and modern equipment, as well as social programs including health, addiction, and housing supports to enhance safety and livability in the many communities we serve, large and small, across Canada.
For more information: https://npf-fpn.com/
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