A “solidarity” police community pays tribute to officers who died in the line of duty

For a solemn and moving ceremony, several hundred police officers from across the country gathered on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Sunday morning.

Speeches were delivered and a parade took place on the occasion of the 47^e edition of the Annual Memorial Service of Canadian Police and Peace Officers.

The names of missing agents listed on the Roll of Honor were read. A special tribute was paid to Rick O’Brian, a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officer who lost his life in the line of duty on September 22, 2023 in Coquitlam, British Columbia.

A job more and more dangerous

According to the vice-president of workplace relations of the Brotherhood of Police Officers of Montreal, Jean-François Potvin, the work of police officers is more and more dangerous.

The population is allowing more and more misconduct towards the policehe observes, saying he notices much less respect for the police task, which makes the work more difficult, which means that there are risks that our police officers take more and more in the field.

No human life deserves to fall under any circumstances. Furthermore, when it is a person doing their job to ensure the protection of the population who dies.

According to Mr. Potvin, the annual Canadian Police and Peace Officers Memorial Service allows families to reflect and feel supported by the police community.

It is important for the population, for the family, to know that this police community stands together through difficult events and periods.he emphasizes. The work of the police ensures that we have a tight-knit community and it is important for us, over the years, to come, year after year, to offer our support.

Sad memories

Denis Lefebvre’s son lost his life in the line of duty on December 23, 2001 during a car accident while he was on patrol.

Even if he feels sad, the ceremony gives him the opportunity to remember memories and represents for him a way of paying tribute to his son.

It’s beautiful what they do in memory of the deceased police officershe notes.

It comes to gnaw at us from within, it comes to seek us out. Especially when they play bagpipes and trumpets, it really comes after us.

City of Ottawa flags are flown at half-mast on National Police and Peace Officers Memorial Day. They will be there until sunset on Sunday.

With information from Charlotte Tremblay