Hundreds of police officers from across the province gathered at Queens Park on Sunday for the 14th annual tribute honouring the service and sacrifice of the men and women police who died while on duty.
Added to this year’s names of fallen officers was Const. Jennifer Kovach. The 26-year-old died in March after her police cruiser collided with a bus while she was responding to another officer’s call for assistance. Kovach had been a member of the Guelph police force for four years.
“The loss of Jennifer is a terrible tragedy but this ceremony will ensure that her service is never forgotten,” Mike Abbott, president of the Ontario Police Memorial Foundation, told the crowd.
Kovach’s family was in attendance but a spokesperson for the Toronto police said her family had asked for privacy as they grieved on Sunday. Her name, along with Const. William Rourke was read out loud. Rourke, 64, was from Cobourg, Ont. The father of seven died in 1915 after suffering a heart attack while making an arrest.
Although Rourke had passed away almost a century ago, it’s not unusual for the names of long-deceased officers to be added to the memorial as new details of their death are uncovered.
Before the start of the memorial, police pipe bands marched solemnly around Queen’s Park towards a monument where the fallen officers’ names are engraved on granite wall alongside 252 heroes.
Mourners, police officers and dignitaries, including Premier Kathleen Wynne, laid wreaths by the wall. Wynne described Kovach as an officer who was “passionate about protecting her community.”
“For that, I -- along with the people of Ontario -- will be eternally grateful,” she said during the service.
Ontario’s Lt.-Gov. David C. Onley was also in attendance. He thanked friends and families of police officers, saying they carry a special burden knowing that their loved ones could be harmed whenever they are on duty.
“As we honour those who have fallen in the line of duty, we also honour their families, many of whom are here today,” he said. “For you, the risks of services have been great and you have paid a high price in the loss of your loved ones.”
Christine Russell, the widow of Toronto police Sgt. Ryan Russell who died after he was run over by a snow plow in 2011 was among those listening to Onley’s words. She said she is still grieving her own loss but she is thankful for the support she’s received.
“There’s so many friends and family that I’ve met because of this tragic situation and I’m here to support them,” Russell told CTV Toronto.
Many at the memorial also laid flowers for York Region police Const. Garrett Styles who died in 2011. The 34-year-old was crushed under a van during a routine traffic stop northeast of Toronto on Hwy. 48.
With files from CTV Toronto’s Natalie Johnson and The Canadian Press
