THUNDER BAY - On a grey and wet day, police officers from across the region marched through the rain to honour the memory of fellow officers who gave their lives in the line of duty.
A memorial service and parade was held Sunday afternoon as part of the Police and Peace Officers National Memorial Day.
Members of the Thunder Bay Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and officers from across the border in Duluth and Superior, Wisconsin participated in the annual day of memory.
Const. Rob Steudle, uniform director of the Thunder Bay Police Association, said the memorial service and parade is a way for police officers, active and retired, to pay tribute to the heroes who have given their lives protecting and serving the public.
“We’ve been very lucky,” he said. “Canada in general has been lucky in the last few years, we haven’t had too many police officers pass away in the line of duty.”
In Thunder Bay, two officers have been lost in the line of duty. Const. John Kusznier was fatally wounded when responding to a call in January, 1978 and Const. Joseph Prevett died when participating in a training exercise in Gravenhurst, ON in May, 2014.
“The officers who have passed away, I’ve worked with in the past and honouring them is very important,” Steudle said. “We’ve also had officers injured in the line of duty and we are honouring them as well.”
“We have officers out there every day protecting and serving 24-hours a day,” Steudle continued. “Thunder Bay can be a very dangerous city and officers are putting their lives on the line for the citizens and we appreciate them for that.”
The parade marched from the former Provincial Court House on Arthur Street to St. Paul’s Anglican Church where it concluded with a memorial.
Along the route, family, friends, and members of the public stood in the rain to pay tribute to the men and women in uniform and honour the memory of those lost.
“It’s a great showing of people,” Steudle said. “It’s not the best day, but we really appreciate them coming out to participate in this event. We encourage the public to come out and attend, because they officers are protecting you every day.”
