Windsor police union says recent officer deaths raising concerns among members and families

Local reaction to rising number of line of duty officer deaths in Canada this year. CTV Windsor’s Sanjay Maru reports.

The president of the Windsor Police Association says the recent killings of police officers across Canada have left local officers and their families concerned about the growing unpredictability of policing and what more can be done to keep frontline members safe.

Kent Rice said the deaths of three officers in the line of duty within the past two weeks have resonated deeply within Windsor’s policing community, particularly because several of the incidents involved officers being targeted while carrying out routine duties.

“It’s very concerning to my members,” Rice said. “It’s become unpredictable.”

Rice pointed to the recent fatal shooting of an officer in Toronto while executing a warrant, an OPP officer killed after being struck by a vehicle, and the fatal ambush of officers responding to a call in Montreal.

“Back in the day, officers recognized there was a heightened sense of danger when you went to certain calls,” Rice said. “Now, you’re just out on patrol for any kind of call and it seems like it has the potential to become a fatal encounter.”

The recent violence has also sparked concern among officers’ families.

Rice said he has received messages from family members asking about officer safety and whether police services provide training for ambush-style attacks.

“It’s a very valid question,” he said, noting officers receive extensive training for a variety of situations, but the recent attacks have prompted discussions about whether additional training may be necessary.

In Windsor, Rice said discussions with Chief Jason Crowley have already led to temporary measures aimed at enhancing officer safety, including assigning additional officers to patrol together in parts of the downtown core.

“We have a responsibility as police services and the community to ensure officer safety,” Rice said.

The recent deaths have also revived memories of Windsor Police Const. John Atkinson, who was killed in the line of duty in 2006.

Rice, who served with Atkinson, said tragedies involving officers elsewhere in Canada serve as reminders of the lasting impact such losses have on colleagues, friends and family members.

“This is where we talk about member wellness and making sure we have the supports in place,” Rice said.

Police are offered peer support services, access to counselling, employee assistance programs and referrals to psychologists for members who may be struggling. Rice said those resources have become increasingly important as officers deal not only with national tragedies, but also recent officer-involved shootings in Windsor.

“No officer ever comes to work and wants to have to use their service-issued firearm to have to end a situation,” Rice said. “It’s what we train for, but it’s always been a last resort.”

Rice also raised concerns about repeat offenders and individuals who continue to violate bail or weapons conditions, arguing governments and communities need to do more to prevent violent incidents before they happen.

“If we can’t make our community safer, we’ve established laws. The laws actually have to have meaning,” Rice said.

Despite the recent tragedies, Rice said the focus remains on supporting officers and ensuring they have the resources necessary to continue serving the public safely.

“We can do better as police services, as a community and as a society to support those people who put their lives on the line every day to make the rest of the community safe.”