Dozens of police officers, firefighters and paramedics gathered Saturday at Ottawa Police headquarters to honour slain Ottawa Police Const. Eric Czapnik.
Czapnik died Dec. 29, 2009, stabbed as he sat in his car logging a call outside Ottawa Civic Hospital. He was the first Ottawa police officer to be killed on duty since 1983, and the 15th fatality in the 156-year history of the Ottawa Police Service.
â¨A plaque was unveiled in his honour at police headquarters on Elgin Street ahead of the annual Canadian Police and Peace Officers Memorial Service, to be held Sunday on Parliament Hill.
â¨The Ottawa Police also sold blue ribbon decals to honour Czapnik and other fallen officers. Proceeds went to a trust fund for the Czapnik family.
â¨Ottawa Police Chief Vern White, RCMP Commissioner William Elliott and representatives from Ottawa’s fire department and paramedic services attended, as did Czapnik’s widow, Anna Korutowska, and their four children.
⨓Eric’s memory will live on through events like this,” Korutowska said.
â¨Ottawa Police Const. Nelson Rowan said he brought his family to the memorial “to show solidarity.”⨓Eric (Czapnik) wasn’t in my platoon, but I had met him before,” said Nelson. “It’s unfortunate that it takes a happening like this to bring people together.”
â¨Police Staff Sgt. Dave Turnbull attended along with dozens of other officers from Czapnik’s platoon, E Division.
Czapnik “was an excellent man and an excellent worker,” said Turnbull. “And he would brighten any room he walked into.”
â¨Turnbull called the ceremony an “excellent” way to honour his colleague’s memory. Members of Czapnik’s family declined to comment further.