AUPE peace officers to attend memorial ceremonies Sunday in Edmonton and Ottawa
EDMONTON – Representatives of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees’ more than 1,500 peace officers are expected to attend Peace Officers Memorial ceremonies in Ottawa and Edmonton Sunday to honour colleagues who have fallen in the line of duty.
“AUPE peace officers out their lives on the line every day to protect the citizens of Alberta and we are very grateful to them for the sacrifices they make to make our province a better place,” said AUPE President Doug Knight.
More than 100 AUPE peace officers are expected to attend Sunday’s parade in Edmonton.
In addition, eight AUPE members who are peace officers will attend the national ceremony in on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, said AUPE Local 003 Chair Cec Cardinal.
Travelling to Ottawa with Cardinal for the memorial will be Lethbridge Sheriff Ben Arakaki, Slave Lake Transportation Officer Ray Montgomery, Red Deer Sheriff Rob Pelton, Garrie Ritchie from the Calgary Young Offenders Centre, Correctional Peace Officer Mike Schmidt of the Medicine Hat Remand Centre, Correctional Peace Officer Ron Wright of the Calgary Correctional Centre and Edmonton Probation Officer Alec Tsang.
“AUPE Local 003 will be well represented at both ceremonies,” said Cardinal, who is a Correctional Peace Officer at the Calgary Correctional Centre. “We feel it is very important for our local and our union to have members who are peace officers at these ceremonies to mark the contribution and the sacrifices made by these working people to keep society safe.”
The Edmonton ceremony, organized by Alberta police officers, will take place Sunday at 1 p.m. on the South Lawn of the Legislature, where the Peace Officers Memorial is located.
The Massed Pipes and Drums of Alberta will lead the parade to the site of the ceremony and aircraft from 4 Wing, Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake, will take part in a fly past.
The parade will begin near the bus terminal on 107 Street just south of 99 Avenue, and travels south along 107 Street toward the ceremony site.
In 1998, the last Sunday of September was officially proclaimed Police and Peace Officers National Memorial Day to commemorate the sacrifices of those who have given their lives in the line of duty.
One name will be added Sunday to the list of fallen Alberta peace officers. RCMP Constable James Lundblad will be among the 94 men and women peace officers who have died in the line of duty in Alberta since 1876.
AUPE Locals 003 and 005 represent the bulk of the peace officers who are members of the union.
AUPE represents peace officers who serve in a several important capacities — including Sheriffs, Forest Officers, Probation Officers, Correctional Peace Officers, Community Corrections Officers, Conservation Officers, Fish and Wildlife Officers, Parks Officers and Transport Officers.