A sign was erected in front of the Steinbach RCMP Detachment Tuesday night in honor of the fallen officer in Nova Scotia.

“Thank you RCMP, our thoughts and prayers are with you Nova Scotia” states the sign; a reference to the devastating mass shooting that took place in that province this past weekend in which 23 people died, including a police officer.

Staff Sergeant Harold Laninga says he and his fellow members were appreciative of the gesture.

“It was very meaningful for us when we showed up to work Wednesday morning and the sign was standing there.”

According to Laninga the sign’s creator left a message on his answering machine that morning respectfully suggesting the RCMP could take it down if they so desired. They did not.

“In my opinion, they did an incredible job with the sign,” says Laninga, “people here in the Steinbach area are just so supportive and we’re very thankful for that.”

When asked his thoughts on the shooting itself, Laninga was at a loss.

“I don’t think I could put it into words that could be appropriate, me being here in Steinbach,” he offers. “But I can say that all of us in the RCMP view each other as family, so this is a situation that very much impacts us in that sense.”

Laninga says his members continue to mourn alongside those in Nova Scotia still reeling from the tragedy.