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Honour Roll


The Police Association of Ontario maintains this honour roll to pay tribute to Ontario's police personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice while on-duty. If you believe a name is missing from this list, please reach out to us at pao@pao.ca or (416) 487-9367. Sadly, 262 officers have been taken from our ranks.
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4-10 of 262 Results
Constable
Laura J. Ellis

2002-02-18

Age: 31

In the early morning hours of Monday, February 18, 2002, a 42 Division scout car was involved in a motor vehicle collision on Brimley Road near Huntingwood Drive in Scarborough. Laura Ellis, a passenger in the car, 31 years, and a 5 year member of the Service was killed. Constable Ellis joined the Toronto Police Service in December 1996 and was appointed Constable in June 1997.

A second officer, Constable Ronald Tait, suffered a number of serious non-life threatening injuries. Constable Tait, 28 years, is a 6-year member of the Service.

February 18, 2002
Sergeant
Margaret J. Eve

2000-06-09

Age: 38

Sgt. Eve and two other officers who were also injured in the crash, were questioning the occupants of a vehicle they had just stopped, when a tractor trailer travelling east on the highway barrelled into the 3 parked cruisers.

Sgt. Eve died two days after being critically injured in a traffic accident on the same portion of Highway 401 that six months earlier had claimed the life of her OPP colleague Jim McFadden. Margaret is the first woman police officer killed in the line of duty in Ontario.

June 9, 2000
Constable
James C. McFadden

1999-12-31

Age: 49

Cst. McFadden was operating moving radar on Hwy #401 in the Chatham area. He had a Michigan vehicle stopped and was writing a ticket when a vehicle struck his cruiser from behind at over 150 kmph. The force of the impact drove his cruiser into the rear of the Michigan car crushing the cruiser from both ends. Jim died from his injuries on New Years Eve.

The driver of the vehicle who killed Constable McFadden, was charged with first degree murder, partly due to a suicide note he left at his residence.

December 31, 1999
Constable
Charles Mercier

1999-09-30

Age: 34

Cst. Mercier was working a paid duty at the base of the Garden City Skyway bridge. He was parked in his fully marked OPP cruiser half on the shoulder and half on the grass with all emergency lights activated. The right hand lane of the bridge was closed for repairs and the cruiser was needed to slow down the speed of traffic during the rush hour periods. The driver of a large cube truck was Niagara bound in the left hand lane when the driver fell asleep and crossed the middle active lane onto the shoulder striking Cst. Merciers cruiser. Chuck died from his injuries.

September 30, 1999
Sergeant
Richard T. McDonald

1999-07-28

Age: 38

Sgt. McDonald was called upon to assist in a high speed pursuit of a stolen van. OPP and Sudbury Regional units were involved in the chase, in and around the City of Sudbury. Sgt. McDonald had deployed his spike belt and was standing in the grassy median as the stolen van raced towards his location. At the last second the driver swerved onto the median and struck Sgt. McDonald throwing him high into the air. Sgt. McDonald died from his injuries.

July 28, 1999
Constable
Keith A. Badger

1998-12-09

Age: 43

Cst. Badger was operating his unmarked cruiser when he entered a curve and lost control due to road conditions, crossed the centre line and was struck by an on-coming vehicle. He died at the scene.

December 9, 1998
Constable
David R. Nicholson

1998-08-12

Age: 32

Constable Nicholson was a member of the Waterloo Regional Police Dive Unit, and he died in the line of duty while attempting to recover the body of a young Cambridge boy from a dam in the Grand River. Constable Nicholson entered the water to rescue the small boy, but was pulled into the sleuth trough of the dam and was pinning him there. Officers tried to pull him out using his rescue line, but to no avail. Constable Nicholson is the first officer in the Service' s 25 year history to die in the line of duty.

When Constable Nicholson's body was pulled from the water, he was holding the lost boy.

August 12, 1998
Detective Constable
William D. J. Hancox

1998-08-04

Age: 32

Officer Hancox, a Detective with the Toronto Police Service was assigned to the Special Investigation Squad, Break and Enter detail. He was working undercover with a team of officers in the north east section of Toronto. At approximately 10 pm he told his fellow team members he was attending a store in the Centennial Plaza to obtain a cold soda pop. A very short time later, a second broadcast was received from Officer Hancox advising that he was stabbed and needed help. Officers attended the plaza parking lot and found Officer Hancox severely injured, lying near his police vehicle. Emergency first aid was applied and the officer was transported to Sunnybrook Medical Center. At 11:01 p.m. Police Officer Hancox succumbed to his injuries.

Two women were arrested and have since been convicted.

August 4, 1998
Constable
Thomas P. Coffin

1997-05-31

Age: 32

Constable Coffin was relaxing at the Commodore Hotel in Penetanguishene with other officers after completing his shift. While seated at the bar a person came up behind him and shot him in the head with a handgun. Constable Coffin died at the scene. His assailant then left the bar and was arrested later by the OPP Tactical Team.

Al MacDonald a Captain with the Toronto Fire Department, is currently serving his first degree murder conviction in prison. MacDonald was the former Chair of the Penetanguishene Police Services Board. Constable Coffin had charged MacDonald with impaired driving in 1996. He blamed Constable Coffin for ruining his life.

May 31, 1997
Constable
Michael W. Gula

1996-04-02

Age: 52

While on patrol on the Queen Elizabeth Way Constable Gula stopped behind another OPP cruiser on the shoulder of the multi lane highway. While standing at the driver's window of the second cruiser he was struck by sport utility truck crushing him between the cruiser and the hit and run truck. His body fell into the active lane of traffic. His coworker dragged him off the road and radioed for help. Constable Gula died from his injuries.

April 2, 1996