Cpl. Ron Francis waiting with an elder from St. Mary's First Nation at RCMP J Division Headquarters, where he turned in his red serge uniform in November of 2013. Photo: PHOTO: KEITH MINCHIN FOR NATIONAL POST A New Brunswick Mountie who made national headlines for smoking medical marijuana while in uniform last year was found dead Monday after he “lost his battle with PTSD,” according to an RCMP support group.
Families of the RCMP for PTSD Awareness, an advocacy group raising awareness of mental health issues within the force, posted a statement online Monday evening announcing the death of Cpl. Ron Francis.
“Our hearts go out to Ron who struggled for so long, his family who journeyed with him, and all those who knew, worked with and loved him, all of whom are struggling to deal with the aftermath of suicide,” the group said on its Facebook page.
The news was confirmed to CBC News by Councillor Pat Polchies of Kingsclear Maliseet First Nation, of which Francis was a member. Francis’s lawyer said he died around 4 p.m. Monday afternoon. The cause of death has not been officially confirmed.
Francis was prescribed medical marijuana to help alleviate symptoms of his post-traumatic stress disorder, which he said was a result of things he had seen and experienced during his 21-year career with the RCMP. However, he was reprimanded by his superiors after he was filmed smoking in his red serge. RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson described the situation as “awkward” and “embarrassing” while Justice Minister Peter MacKay said Francis was setting “a very poor example for Canadians.”
The Mountie was stripped of his iconic uniform and placed on medical leave last fall, and pleaded guilty last month to assaulting fellow officers in two separate incidents, one in December of 2013 and another in January.
Throughout his difficulties, Francis maintained that the RCMP and government were not doing enough to help officers with PTSD.
“Soldiers, police, people who do this kind of work, over time it’s going to affect them,” Francis said outside a court in Fredericton Sept. 3. “I want to help other members.”
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