2021 Canadian Peace Officers’ Memorial Service

In 1998 the Government of Canada officially proclaimed the last Sunday of September of every year as Police and Peace Officers’ National Memorial Day. This National Memorial Day gives Canadians an opportunity each year to formally express appreciation for the dedication of police and peace officers (which include Correctional Officers, Probation Officers, Conservation Officers, and Deputy Sheriffs) which made the ultimate tragic sacrifice to keep our communities safe.

The first Memorial was held in 1978 and honoured 14 officers. In 2020 the names of over 874 fallen officers are engraved on the Honour Roll tablets. The tablets are located next to the Summer Pavilion overlooking the Ottawa River.

Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Memorial Committee of the Canadian Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial Service has announced that this year the Memorial, including the reading of the names of fallen officers, will be conducted on Parliament Hill at the Summer Pavilion. Attendance is by invitation only and there will be no parade. Priority has been given to the next of kin and heads of departments and agencies. The Canadian Peace Officers’ Association is asking departments and agencies not to send anyone who has not been invited and is encouraging people to watch the service live via social media.

This year’s ceremony will be a virtual ceremony live-streamed from Parliament Hill on Sunday, September 26. The reading of the names will start at 9 a.m., and the service will start at 11 a.m. Again, this year, the officers who have died on duty in the past two years will be recognized, but their names have not yet been added to the tablets. Their families prefer to wait another year when the service can be held in person.

The service will be live-streamed on different social media platforms, and the links will be posted on https://cppom.ca/LIVE/.

Thank you to all those police and peace officers who serve and protect the public, often at their own expense. We are honoured to be your union and we honour you and pay tribute to your service.