HAY RIVER, N.W.T. _ RCMP officers from across the North and two western provinces are searching for a man wanted in the death of Const. Chris Worden, who was shot and killed early Saturday morning.

Sgt. Larry O'Brien says officers from Regina have joined crews from Edmonton and Northwest Territories detachments.

A dog team and two fixed-wing planes are also involved in looking for 23-year-old Emrah Bulatci.

O'Brien says police are searching both the bush and the town of Hay River for Bulatci, who is wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for first-degree murder.

Worden died while answering a trouble call near a suspected drug house in the small town about 400 kilometres south of Yellowknife.

O'Brien confirms that there was a significant time lag between when the RCMP dispatcher tried to contact Worden and when other members responded and discovered his body.

© 2007 The Canadian Press