Students decorate doors in honor of officer killed by drunk driver

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WLNE) — Broad Rock Middle School students learned about the importance of sober driving by honoring former Jamestown police Ffficer Ryan Bourque.

Bourque was killed by a drunk driver in 2016.

Each year the middle school honors a victim of drunk driving as part of a program where a door decorating contest is held just ahead of the holidays.

“I have experienced the whole door decorating event when I was in middle school,” Smart Club at Broad Rock member Celine Barbera said. “Just getting a personal connection with the victims and getting a sympathetic point of view, it really creates an impact on the students on how this needs to change and how drunk driving in Rhode Island has become a problem.”

Officer Bourque’s mother Lee Bourgue said she felt connected to her son while walking through the halls and seeing the doors Thursday morning.

This is a picture of a decorated door at Broad Rock Middle School for a door decorating contest in honor of Officer Ryan Bourque. (WLNE)

“Everybody is loved by family and friends,” she said. “And to lose somebody unnecessarily like this, it breaks your heart. And to see the kids connect and display what they learned about my son, I hope that stays with them, always. It is probably one of the most important lessons they are learning in the school, to love and to care about other people, just like my son did. If they can take that away, that will be very important.”

Police announced Thursday they plan to increase patrols starting this weekend to look out for impaired drivers on the road.

Just this year there have been over 1,000 arrests for impaired driving statewide.

“Here in the capitol city, we know have a lot going on over Christmas and New Years,” Mayor Brett Smiley said. “There is going to be great celebrations and parties and we want you to come and enjoy what the capitol city and Rhode Island has to offer, but we want you to do it safely,.”

Officials said whether a person is drunk or high, it is considered a DUI.