Cst. Norman Harry Atkins

Cst. Norman Harry Atkins, 41

An RCMP officer on his second shift with the Westfield detachment was killed when his police cruiser struck a moose on the Saturday night of July 8. Cst. Norman Harry Atkins of Saint John West, was an 18-year veteran of the RCMP who had just been transferred to the Westfield detachment from his former posting in Saint Andrews. While on routine highway patrol at about 10:30 pm, Cst. Atkins’ car hit a moose on Highway 7 near Finnegan’s Hill. No other vehicles were involved in the accident and Cst. Atkins was alone in his car. Staff Sgt. Hart Eichman of the Westfield detachment said at the time, about six or seven accidents caused by animals had happened on the same stretch of highway where Cst. Atkins was killed.

Before being transferred to the Westfield RCMP, the Saint John native worked on the Saint Andrews detachment for 21 1/2 years. He also served with the RCMP in British Columbia and the New Brunswick Highway Patrol.

Cpl. Rinie Plomp of the Saint Andrews force said that Cst. Atkins was a police officer who knew that people were more important than paperwork. “He was probably the best example of a guy who practiced community-based policing on a day-to-day basis”. Cst. Atkins expertise was in analyzing accidents and his real passion was in doing highway patrol. Cpl. Plomp said he was an excellent driver who had just completed an advanced driver-training course. “It was no secret that he really wanted to get back to his highway patrol duties,” said Cpl. Plomp. “He was looking forward to going to Westfield.” He described Cst. Atkins as a model father and a devoted family man.

Cst. Atkins was survived by his wife Jill, and two daughters ages 7 and 11; and his parent and other relatives in the Saint John area.

From the Telegraph Journal July 1995.