Funeral for slain OPP Const. Grzegorz Pierzchala is being held today at a Barrie arena | CBC News
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Several hundred police officers are lining the route to Sadlon Arena in Barrie in the pouring rain, welcoming the funeral procession for fallen Const. Grzegorz Pierzchala of Ontario Provincial Police.
The procession Wednesday began before the private funeral for Pierzchala, the 28-year-old officer slain Dec. 27 while on duty. The service is being held starting around 11 a.m. ET in his hometown.
Pierzchala’s family, their guests, members of the OPP, representatives from other police services, Canadian Armed Forces members, emergency services personnel and officials are attending the service, according to the OPP.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who arrived for the service just before 11 a.m., is also set to give remarks.
Although the service isn’t open to the public, the funeral procession is underway and is being streamed online. The service will also be livestreamed.
“We do expect thousands and thousands of police officers from not only Ontario, but from elsewhere to gather to say goodbye to an officer, but to also help celebrate the life of a young police officer,” OPP spokesperson Bill Dickson told CBC ahead of Wednesday.
In Haldimand County, where Pierzchala had worked for the past 10 months, the Caledonia Lions Hall is also hosting an in-person broadcast of the funeral for the community.
The procession carrying Pierzchala’s body travelled from Toronto to Barrie on Friday.
Constable had just passed probation
Pierzchala was responding to a black truck in a ditch near Hagersville, about 45 kilometres southwest of Hamilton, around 2:30 p.m. two days after Christmas Day when he was shot.
He is the fourth officer to be killed in Ontario, and the fifth killed in Canada, while on duty since mid-September.
Pierzchala died the same day he learned he had passed his 10-month probation. He had been patrolling independently since April, according to OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique.
A man and a woman were arrested shortly after the shooting, and now face first-degree murder charges.
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