Category Archives: 2017 Ontario Police Memorial

On Sunday, May 7, 2017 11am, families, friends and the policing community will gather at Queen’s Park, Toronto, Ontario Canada, to pay tribute to 264 police officers who have fallen in the line of duty. For updates on ceremony itinerary click here. For directions click here. All are welcome.

 

Four historical additions to the Memorial Wall will be honoured at the 2017 Ontario Police Memorial Ceremony of Remembrance

High County Constable Alfred Fabien Hippolyte Campeau of Essex County. Date of death: 12 December 1912

 

On December 12, 1912, High Constable Campeau had been working in the

Ruscom area. He arrived at the train station to catch the Windsor bound express,

arriving just as it was leaving the station. He ran for the moving train and jumped

to board it but slipped and fell under the wheels severely injuring his left leg. He

was placed on the train and taken into Windsor to Hotel Dieu Hospital. Surgery

took place but he passed away shortly after.

His policing experience covered 28 years. Alfred Campeau started his policing

career with the Windsor Police on September 15, 1884. In 1889, he was appointed

as a Provincial Officer by the Province of Ontario. In 1896, he was appointed

Chief of Police in the Detroit River area. In 1909, he was one of the first officers

appointed to the newly formed Ontario Provincial Police (OPP). In 1910, officers

with the OPP were issued uniforms however Constable Campeau refused to wear

the uniform and was released from the Force. He was then named the High County

Constable for Essex County.

Alfred was 56 years of age, married with 4 children at the time of his death.

 

Constable Daniel Craig of Chesterville. Date of death: 29 June 1932

 

During the evening of June 29, 1932, a drunken youth had been causing a

disturbance within the village of Chesterville. The young man was yelling and

cursing at a woman who was sitting on her front porch. Her husband took hold of

the trouble maker and escorted him across town to the Town Hall to be dealt with

by Constable Daniel Craig. Before the youth could be turned over to Constable

Craig, he broke free and escaped with the gentleman and now others in pursuit.

Some blocks away he was captured again and brought back to the Town Hall

where the jail was located. Constable Craig took over the arrest and wrestled the

young man through the building and into the cell, where he was locked up.

Constable Craig then went to leave the building but suddenly collapsed in the door

way. Two local doctors were quickly summonsed and attended to Constable Craig

but unfortunately he had died of a heart attack within minutes.

Daniel was 59 years of age, married and had been the Town Constable for 4 years

at the time of his death.

 

Constable John Ferguson of Exeter OPP. Date of death 20 October 1949

On October 20, 1949, Constable John Ferguson and his partner travelled to Grand

Bend at the request of the Grand Bend Police to assist with arresting a suspected

mental health patient. It was reported that the suspect was wandering around the

village carrying a pipe wrench. During the arrest there was a violent struggle with

the suspect, but he was subdued, arrested and placed into the back seat of the

cruiser. Constable Ferguson got in beside the suspect. His partner and a Grand

Bend officer sat in the front seats. Before the cruiser could leave that location,

Constable Ferguson suffered a heart attack and died moments later in the cruiser.

John Ferguson was 55 years of age and had been policing for 27 years. He began

as a County Constable in Huron County, then joined the Ontario Provincial Police

on June 1, 1947. He was married and had a son at the time of his death.

 

County Constable Mont Alexander Wood of Lennox And Addington. Date of death: 1 December 1951

In the early morning hours of December 1, 1951, Constable Mont Wood had

stopped to assist a stranded trucker north of the village of Northbrook on Highway

41. While waiting for a tow truck to arrive, he saw headlights approaching through

the heavy fog. Constable Wood stepped out from behind his car with the intention

to close the vehicles door, when he was struck by the approaching car. Constable

Wood was hurled some 20 feet through the air and landed on the ground seriously

injured.

Constable Gordon Stout of the Northbrook Ontario Provincial Police detachment

arrived carried the gravely injured officer into his cruiser and rushed him to the

Belleville hospital. His injuries proved fatal and he died shortly after arriving.

Mont Wood was 59 years of age, a veteran of World War I and was married with 5

children at the time of his death. He had been the County Constable in Lennox and

Addington for 29 years.

We hope you will join us in support.  Please be sure to check back regularly for updated information.  For further information on the Memorial or to purchase pins, please visit OPMF or Memorial Pins.