The last Sunday in September. The first days of fall. A steady, beating drum. Thousands of marching footsteps, converging on one location. These are the details that denote the Canadian Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial Service each year.
This year’s service was the 46th annual memorial, which honoured 13 fallen officers, including three OPP members.
In addition to Provincial Constable Pierzchala, Sergeant Mueller and Detective Constable Tourangeau, this year’s ceremony paid tribute to the following fallen officers:
- Toronto Police Constable Andrew Hong;
- South Simcoe Police Constable Morgan Russell;
- South Simcoe Police Constable Devon Northrup;
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Constable Shaelyn Yang;
- Edmonton Police Constable Travis Jordan;
- Edmonton Police Constable Brett Ryan;
- Sûreté du Québec Sergeant Maureen Breau; and,
- RCMP Constable Harvinder Singh Dhami (former Special Constable with Queen’s Park OPP Detachment).
Two historical additions were also made to the memorial: Canada Customs Officer James Mowat (1913) and RCMP Constable Vernon Genaille (2002).
Sunday’s service was particularly poignant on the heels of another tragic loss of a Canadian police officer, RCMP Constable Rick O’Brien who was shot and killed in Coquitlam, BC, last Friday. Family, friends and members of the law enforcement community gathered in Ottawa this past weekend to honour and remember each of our fallen Canadian officers.
Visit CPPOM.ca/Live to view the replay of the 2023 Canadian Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial Service.
