Canada _ (Commonwealth Union) _ The shooting murder of Ontario Provincial Police Const. Grzegorz Pierzchala, just hours after completing his 10-month probation term and being awarded the right to patrol freely, has shocked many officers.
Pierzchala, 28, was shot shortly after 2:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday while responding to a car in a ditch just west of Hagersville, roughly 45 kilometers southwest of Hamilton, according to the Ontario Provincial Police.
He is the fourth officer slain on the job in Ontario this autumn, and the fifth in Canada since mid-September. Another cop was killed in an off-duty automobile accident caused by an inebriated motorist.
“This is unusual in Canada,” said Mark Baxter, president of the Police Association of Ontario, which represents police officers in the province.
According to Michael Arntfield, a criminologist and professor at Western University, the recent killings are disturbing and demonstrate how hazardous police has become, given officers’ increased duties.
However, Arntfield, a former cop himself, believes that police deaths are still uncommon and that the recent spate of disasters does not constitute a growing trend. However, as police forces throughout the country cope with the number of officers slain this year, Ontario Provincial Police Association President Scott Mills says police organizations are banding together for assistance.
Other services accessible, according to Mills, include: OPP Beyond the Blue, which focuses on the well-being of OPP officers and their families.
Canada Beyond the Blue, which provides community assistance to police wives and families.
Boots on the Ground is an anonymous peer support network for first responders.
Badge of Life Canada, which assists Canadian public safety officers and their family who are suffering from operational stress injuries, including post-traumatic stress disorder.
