After Ridge Meadows RCMP officer Const. Rick O鈥橞rien made the ultimate sacrifice for his community on Sept. 22, government officials and organizations from all corners of the province are coming together to mourn his death.
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As the runners continue to make their way to Ottawa to honour those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, we mourn the tragic loss of yet another officer - RCMP Ridge Meadows Cst. Rick O鈥橞rien. Our thoughts are with his friends, family and colleagues.
鈥� Durham Regional Police (@DRPS)
Our thoughts and sympathies are with our colleagues at Ridge Meadows RCMP and with the family of Cst. Rick O鈥橞rien. Cst. Rick O鈥橞rien was killed in the line of duty today. You will see our officers wearing this blue ribbon, it signifies the loss of one of our own, the loss of a鈥�
鈥� West Shore RCMP (@WestshoreRCMP)
Outside of the Ridge Meadows RCMP detachment in Maple Ridge, a memorial has been set up, with dozens of flowers, candles, and notes being dropped off in memory of Const. O鈥橞rien.
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Our hearts are heavy tonight after hearing about the tragic loss of Constable Rick O鈥橞rien. We had the privilege of working with Rick in the district and he will be deeply missed by our staff and students.
鈥� School District No. 42 (@sd42news)
Constable O鈥橞rien had a wonderful sense of humour and an amazing ability鈥�
Ridge Meadows RCMP Supt. Wendy Mehat called O鈥橞rien鈥檚 death senseless and praised him as a great officer and person.
鈥淩ick鈥檚 contribution to his work and his fellow team members at this detachment was immeasurable,鈥� said Mehat. 鈥淗e loved visiting schools, doing presentations, and participating in the community to support food drives and sports events.鈥�
鈥淲hile we grieve the loss of Const. Rick O鈥橞rien, I would like to thank the community for your unwavering support to the Ridge Meadows RCMP. Rick was a dedicated police officer and a wonderful human being. We will miss him tremendously.鈥�
Supt. Mehat said the department is also proud of its two other officers who were injured during the Sept. 22 operation, and shared that they are expected to fully recover from their injuries.
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The mayors of both Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows have also released statements, calling the incident a tragic reminder of the dangers that police officers face every day in service of their communities.
鈥淭he news of this tragedy has shaken the heart of our community, and it will take time to truly process the loss and the impact,鈥� said Maple Ridge Mayor Dan Ruimy.
鈥淭he people of Maple Ridge will rally around the families and entire force as they face the difficult days and weeks ahead. We share our humble gratitude and respect for Const. O鈥橞rien and all the dedicated police and peace officers who make the ultimate sacrifice to keep our communities safe.鈥�
Pitt Meadows Mayor Nicole MacDonald shared similar sentiments, saying she was devastated to hear about the death of a local officer.
鈥淢y heart breaks for the family and fellow officers,鈥� said Mayor MacDonald. 鈥淭hank you to all the men and women who selflessly respond to the call and put themselves at risk for the safety of the community.鈥�
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An online fundraiser has also been set up by the National Police Federation Benevolent Foundation to help collect money for the family of Const. O鈥橞rien.
The fundraiser has already surpassed $45,000 in less than 20 hours, with the NDF Benevolent Foundation saying that all of the funds (minus the GoFundMe fees) will go to Const. O鈥橞rien鈥檚 family to assist with any upcoming expenses.
Donations can be made by visiting .
Condolences can be sent to the family by emailing RCMP.Condolences-Condoleances.GRC@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
