Peace officers hope inquiry into colleague’s slaying improves safety

Colleagues of a Calgary-area peace officer slain during a 2012 call say an inquiry into his death should work toward enhancing their safety.

Before a public inquiry into the Aug. 10, 2012, killing of Rod Lazenby began Monday, members of his professional group said they welcomed the process, insisting issues of communications and officer weaponry need to be addressed.

“What we really want to see is standardized access to enforcement tools,” said Jamie Erickson, past-president of the Alberta Association of Community Peace Officers.

Said the association’s current president, Terri Miller: “We’re hoping the recommendations will give us better communications internally … the outcome is very important.

“We want to make sure peace officers moving forward are safe in the jobs they do.”

Peace officers perform a variety of duties ranging from animal and traffic enforcement to security.

Lazenby, a former Mountie, was strangled by Trevor Kloschinsky at the killer’s Priddis home southwest of Calgary after the Foothills M.D. peace officer had responded to a dog complaint.

In December 2014, Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Beth Hughes ruled Kloschinsky wasn’t criminally responsible for the death, concluding a mental disorder prevented him from knowing right from wrong.

During the inquiry, which is expected to call eight witnesses, Calgary Police Service Const. Brent Schorn said he was at the District 8 headquarters in Midnapore on Aug. 10, 2012, when Kloschinsky pulled up in Lazenby’s Foothills M.D. SUV.

“He said he had caught somebody stealing his dogs,” said Schorn, adding Kloschinsky told him the culprit was outside in the SUV.

When he went to investigate, Schorn said he found Lazenby in the vehicle’s cargo compartment.

“I found an individual in the back of the vehicle in serious medical distress, I thought he was deceased,” he told the inquiry.

He also said Kloschinsky told him “he had hid out and was waiting for (Lazenby).”

Kloschinsky was detained at the scene.

Lazenby — who had also been handcuffed by his assailant — was taken to Rockyview Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

An autopsy showed he was strangled and suffered other injuries that indicated a struggle, said assistant chief medical examiner Tera Jones.

Lazenby’s family members also directed questions to inquiry witnesses Monday.

The inquiry, overseen by Provincial Court Judge Bruce Fraser, can issue recommendations to help prevent similar deaths but can’t ascribe blame.

It’s expected to continue Tuesday.