Toronto, Oct. 12, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Police Association of Ontario (PAO) and all of its members are in mourning after the devastating events of October 11, 2022 that took the lives of South Simcoe Police Constables Devon Northrup, 33, and Morgan Russell, 54. These tragic murders affect our tight-knit community on a deep level.
“On behalf of the PAO’s Board of Directors, I offer sincere condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of the officers we lost last night. Our policing community grieves with them together,” said PAO President Mark Baxter. “South Simcoe Police Association President Leah Thomas has shown tremendous leadership during an incredibly difficult time, and we will continue to do everything we can to support their entire association.”
This is the fourth police officer death in Ontario in the past month. To put that in perspective, at the Canadian Police and Peace Officers Memorial in Ottawa on September 25, six officers were honoured from across the entire country who died in the line of duty over a three-year period from 2019-2021.
“This is a tremendous loss for our entire policing community and incidents like this cause us all to pause and reflect,” said Baxter. “This incident provides a stark reminder of the dangers our members put themselves in every day to protect the communities they serve. This is a reminder of the unwavering courage, bravery and devotion they display every time they put on their uniform.”
In the face of these tragedies, police personnel across Ontario continue showing up to work, ready to protect their communities. Adding grief on top of the everyday traumas our members are exposed to creates additional risks to our members’ mental health and well-being. The PAO urges all members and anyone else who is suffering from the tragedy to make use of support networks and all available resources.
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