For Immediate Release – January 21, 2023

Second Nelson Officer Dies in Hospital 

Nelson, BC –  Flags are at half mast, and the City of Nelson is mourning the loss of a second police officer.                 

On January 9, two off-duty police officers were backcountry skiing near Kaslo, British Columbia, in a mountain pass 60 kilometres north of Nelson.

The officers were swept down the mountain in a large avalanche.   

Both were experienced and well-trained backcountry enthusiasts equipped with probes and beacons.                          

43-year-old Constable Wade Tittemore died of injuries on the scene. 

The second officer, Constable Mathieu Nolet was located and dug from the avalanche by four people who witnessed the slide.

Constable Nolet suffered severe internal injuries and died this morning in hospital in Kelowna.

“It is hard to fully express the sadness we are feeling here,” said Nelson Police Chief Donovan Fisher. “The memorial for Constable Tittemore was this past week, and now we’ve lost a second officer and friend. It is devastating.”

Constable Nolet worked in Nelson for just over a year after serving for a year with the Calgary Police Service.

He chose Nelson as his home because of his love for the backcountry and dedication to community policing. 

“We have one of the smallest municipal police forces in the country,” said Mayor Janice Morrison. “This tragedy has hit us hard; our deepest condolences go out to constable Nolet’s family.”

The City of Nelson, Mayor & Council, the Nelson Police Department and the Nelson Police Board wish to thank everyone who has written to express their sympathies. Condolences from the public for both of the Constable’s families can be sent to condolences@nelson.ca. 

The Nelson Police Department would like to thank the local RCMP for providing support during this difficult time. 

A video link of Police Chief Fisher and Mayor Morrison can be found here.

 Photo: Constable Mathieu Nolet and Chief Donovan Fisher during his Swearing-In Ceremony with the Nelson Police Department

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Media Contact:

Ginger Lester, Communications Coordinator – glester@nelson.ca