THUNDER BAY – When danger strikes, most people run the other direction.
Not police.
Tragically, it sometimes ends badly.
Nearly 900 names are currently on Canadian Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial in Ottawa, which pays tribute to officers who were either killed in the line of duty or who died as a result of events associated with their law enforcement duties.
Three Thunder Bay names are currently engraved on the memorial: John Kusznier, who was shot and killed in 1978, Const. Joe Prevett, who died of a suspected heart attack during a 2014 K-9 training session in Gravenhurst, Ont., and Sgt. Craig Town, who was shot on duty 1991 and left a quadriplegic. Town died last year at 65.
Thunder Bay Police Service Chief Darcy Fleury said it’s important for police and the community to get together each year on Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial Day, celebrated on Sunday at the St. Paul’s Anglican Church.
“Really, it’s an opportunity for Thunder Bay to recognize the service, the commitment that those officers have had,” Fleury said.
Facing danger is part of the job, the chief added.
“We have some highly trained people and that’s what they’re meant to do. When danger is there, when people are threatened, it is our responsibility to go towards that. We have some really super dedicated people who understand that those things are a possibility, that they could be injured, and they risk their lives and put them on the line every day,” Fleury said.
Police – and other emergency services – are constantly measuring danger levels when they arrive on a scene.
Thankfully tragedy strikes rarely, Fleury said, but given rising gun crime levels in the city, it’s concerning and something he thinks about constantly.
“It is concerning for us and I’m very pleased by the effort of our officers. They do a really good job at risk assessing how things are going. We’ve reviewed some of the cases that we’ve had and when you see what (officers) do, you understand they’re doing a good job keeping themselves safe and the public as well,” Fleury said.
Const. Tanka Awosika, who spoke at the church, said the job requires police not to become complacent on the job, adding Canadians should never forget the ultimate sacrifice made by some of its officers.
“I’m excited to honour those officers who sacrificed their lives in a desire to keep their communities safe,” he said.
“In various moments, throughout the year, remember these three officers who have died in the line of duty. Today, however, is a special day to remember them.”
