May 2025
Thousands of police officers from Canada, America and abroad, marched through the street around Queen’s Park in Toronto in commemoration of police officers who have died in the line of duty in Ontario. On Sunday, 4 May, the 25th Anniversary of the Ontario Police Memorial Foundation Ceremony of Remembrance was held. This is an annual ceremony, held on the first Sunday in May each year.
The Ontario Police Memorial, which was dedicated on 7 May 2000, was created through the work of the Police Association of Ontario, Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, Ontario Senior Officers’ Police Association, Toronto Police Association and the Ontario Provincial Police Association.
The Memorial consists of two bronze statues, approximately 8 feet high, depicting a male officer in duty dress circa 1950, and a female officer in modern duty dress. The statues are mounted atop a large granite pedestal base. At the feet of the statues are eight cascading granite walls. The four walls on either side of the main pedestal form a horseshoe shape. The names of all known fallen officers are inscribed on these walls.
Fortunately, no police officers were killed in the line of duty in 2025, but two historical names were added to the Wall of Honour:
Constable Wilford Fairles, of Rainy River Police, who was killed in the line of duty on 21 December 1910.
Constable Craig Cameron Town, of Thunder Bay Police, who died on 16 August 2023, as a direct result of gunshot injuries sustained in 1991, just two short years into his policing career. Although left a quadriplegic, he amazingly served 30 years with Thunder Bay Police.
Sources: History – Ontario Police Memorial Blog (ceremonyofremembrance.ca).
