A serving member of the Estevan RCMP who was killed in an accident last week is being fondly remembered for his personality and his dedication to the job.
Peter Donaldson, 55, was one of two people travelling in an eastbound vehicle when it left the road and rolled over on Highway 361 about 1 1/2 kilometres east of Lampman on May 15.
Donaldson was pronounced dead at the scene. The 27-year-old male passenger, who is also an RCMP officer in Estevan, was transported to hospital via STARS Air Ambulance for treatment of what were described as serious injuries.
They were not on duty at the time, and they were not in an RCMP vehicle.
While the RCMP did not identify the officers involved, social media posts and an obituary notice identified the deceased officer as Donaldson, who had been in Estevan for several years, serving with both the local detachment and the Combined Traffic Services of Saskatchewan unit.
RCMP collision reconstructionists have been conducting an investigation into the cause of the collision. Preliminary investigation has indicated that alcohol is not a factor.
Cpl. Rob King with the Saskatchewan RCMP’s communications division said it could be a few months before they pinpoint the cause of the accident.
“An accident reconstructionist was on scene, and traditionally their reports take quite a while and are quite detailed, so it could be quite a while before the report is in our hands.”
He did not have an update on the condition of the injured officer.
King said he met Donaldson quite a few times, and found him to be a dedicated officer who enjoyed what he did.
As for staffing levels at the local detachment, King said extra members have been brought in to help offset the workload for the remaining officers.
“Several members that are normally working in the detachment were given the day off,” said King. “There are lots of things I’m sure they have to deal with, including their own grief and shock, so we brought in extra members to help supplement the numbers there.”
Those members will likely remain as long as they’re needed.
Estevan Police Service (EPS) Deputy Chief Murray Cowan said he knew both officers very well, as did most of the officers with the EPS.
“They’ve been around Estevan for quite some time,” said Cowan. “I can say that I was notified that night, shortly after it happened, so on behalf of the police service, I reached out to the detachment commander here, and we had also spoke to the district commander, just offering our services to them.”
The local detachment managed well without the EPS’s resources, but Cowan said the EPS was there if necessary.
“Quite a few of our members are taking it quite hard,” said Cowan. “We work very closely with our RCMP partners here in Estevan and in this corner of the province, so even though we work for different agencies, you get to know each other very well.
“We do the same job. We do the same work. We often say amongst ourselves (the difference) is just the colour of the stripe we wear, but we all do the same thing and the same work.”
Cowan said the RCMP would be there for the EPS if the roles were reversed.
“That’s just how we work in this business,” said Cowan. “We all have borders and areas that we’re responsible for, but we certainly don’t hesitate to lean on one another and help each other out.”
Donaldson was a friendly and outgoing person, Cowan said. He was always there to help the EPS, and he would occasionally stop in to talk or offer his support with an investigation.
Estevan Fire Chief Dale Feser said the fire department has been providing support to the RCMP as well as the Lampman Fire Department, who responded to the scene, in the event their members needed some emotional help.
The fire department also offered to deliver anything from Estevan during the investigation while the RCMP was still at the scene.
Feser said he knew Donaldson very well, as they worked alongside each other since Donaldson came to the city.
“He was a very well-liked individual,” said Feser. “He had a lot of charisma and character and humour that he brought to the job, and was a very personable individual who will sadly be missed.”
The fire department has a close working relationship with all policing agencies and the emergency medical services, he said. Since they have their own priorities when they arrive on scene, it means communication and teamwork are vital.
Mayor Roy Ludwig said Donaldson and the other officer were always respectful and did a good job within the Estevan Emergency Measures Organization. He said Donaldson’s death is “a hit” for the community.
“He was a very nice gentleman,” Ludwig said.
In a news release, the Saskatchewan RCMP said its senior management team, traffic services and south district have been engaged and working with their employees to ensure resources are in place to support them.
During critical incidents of this nature, the RCMP also has its employee assistance services, peer-to-peer program and chaplaincy services available to provide assistance.
“Whenever there’s any type of a critical incident … there are several things put in place, and several services offered to each individual member,” said King. “Everyone handles situations like this in their own way, so the response would be tailor-made to the needs of each individual member.”
A memorial service will be held on May 24 at the Estevan Church of God. A Facebook page has also been created for people to share their memories of Donaldson.
