MEDIA ADVISORY - 33rd NATIONAL POLICE AND PEACE OFFICERS' MEMORIAL SERVICE ON
PARLIAMENT HILL

OTTAWA, Sept. 23 /CNW/ - On Sunday, September 26, 2010, thousands of police and peace officers from across the country will gather on Parliament Hill to honour colleagues who have died in the line of duty.  The Minister of Public Safety, the Honourable Vic Toews will participate in the 33^rd Memorial Service.  In the past year seven police and peace officers have made the ultimate sacrifice in keeping communities safe.  They are:

Constable Chelsey Robinson - June 21, 2010 (Royal Canadian Mounted Police)
Constable Vu Pham - March 8, 2010 (Ontario Provincial Police)
Constable A. James Ochakovsky -March 2, 2010 (Peel Regional Police)
Chief Superintendent Douglas E. Coates - January 16, 2010 (Royal Canadian Mounted Police)
Sergeant Mark Gallagher - January 12, 2010 (Royal Canadian Mounted Police)
Constable I. Eric Czapnik - December 29, 2009 (Ottawa Police)
Constable Mélanie Roy - September 7, 2009 (Lévis Police Service)

Other historical names that were added this year are:

Corporal Jacques Hamel - November 19, 1986 (Sûreté du Québec)
Constable Danny Tremblay - November 19, 1986 (Sûreté du Québec)
Special Constable Ian F. Collinson - July 18, 1966 (City of Kelowna)
Constable François Florent - September 21, 1957 (Pont-Viau Police Service)
Forest Officer Howard Pegg - January 21, 1949 (Department of Lands and Mines, Alberta)
Customs Officer George A. Jackman - January 18, 1943 (Newfoundland Customs Department)
Park Warden Fred Carter - July 9, 1938 (Parks Canada)
Park Warden Andrew D. Bower - June 6, 1925 (Parks Canada)
Special Constable Alfred J. Samson - September 24, 1910 (British Columbia Provincial Police)
Constable Arthur W. Lane - April 18, 1910 (British Columbia Provincial Police)
Constable George H. Johnston - May 23, 1882 (North-West Mounted Police)
First Nations Constable Reuben C.C. Onslow - August 18, 1864 (Metlakatla First Nations Police)

Their names are forever etched on the glass panels erected along the perimeter wall adjacent to the Memorial Pavilion which now totals 771 fallen officers. The Service is a lasting tribute to the sacrifice of those brave men and women. "THEY ARE OUR HEROES, WE SHALL NOT FORGET THEM".

In 1998, the federal government officially proclaimed the last Sunday of each September as Police and Peace Officers' National Memorial Day. This Service gives Canadians an opportunity to express their appreciation for the ultimate dedication of these police and peace officers.

The Canadian Police and Peace Officers Annual Memorial Service is organized by the Canadian Police Association (CPA), the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) and the Canadian Peace Officers' Memorial Association (CPOMA). CPA President Charles Momy, CACP President William Blair and CPOMA President Dennis Brock will be available for interviews after the Service.

The 33^rd National Memorial Service has been scheduled as follows:

9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.	Reading of the entire Honour Roll of fallen officers at the Memorial Pavilion on Parliament Hill, West Corner.
10:00 a.m.	Prelude by police choirs (steps in front of the Peace Tower).
10:20 a.m.	Police and Peace Officers' Parade proceeds to Parliament Hill from Supreme Court of Canada, corner of Kent and Wellington.
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.	Memorial Service on Parliament Hill.

Members of the media are invited to set up in their designated area (West side of the steps in front of the Peace Tower) before 10:00am.  Risers and hook ups will be available on site.  To respect the privacy of the immediate families of the officers being honoured, media are asked to remain within the designated area until the end of the Memorial Service.

All inquiries or requests for interviews with Memorial spokespersons or family members of fallen officers should be directed to Michael Gendron, Media Relations Officer, Canadian Police Association.

For further information:

Michael Gendron, Media Relations Officer,
Canadian Police Association
Tel.:  [phone] / Cell: [phone]