Honouring those who died in the Line of Duty

Police officers, family and friends from across the country gathered at Parliament Hill in Ottawa Sunday for a somber occasion – to pay tribute to Canadian officers who made the ultimate sacrifice to keep our communities safe.

The last Sunday in September is the annual Canadian Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial Service, where those who died in the line of duty are remembered.

This year, the 47th service honoured Royal Canadian Mounted Police Constable Rick O’Brien who was shot and killed in the line of duty in Coquitlam, BC, on September 22, 2023.

Five historical additions were also made to the Honour Roll:

Newfoundland Constabulary Constable John Ringwood (1877)
Canadian Forces Military Police Group Lieutenant Edwin G. Sturrock (1943)
Alberta Department of Lands and Forests Forest Officer Jacob Hasse (1951)
Canadian Forces Military Police Group Corporal Kencel L. Milton (1960)
Canadian Forces Military Police Group Lance Corporal Serephin Hartman (1965)

The ceremony ended with a march past the memorial for the fallen officers.

very year, cyclists from various law enforcement agencies depart from the Ontario Police College in Aylmer riding 700 kilometres to the nation’s capital for the Canadian Police Memorial Ride to Remember. This year, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) members were led by OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique to pay tribute.