RIP Const Eric Czapnik...You will be remembered

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OTTAWA — Const. Ireneusz "Eric" Czapnik — who entered the police force late in life and was struck down less than three years later — was remembered Thursday as a man who loved his family, loved his job and loved pickles.

Thousands of police officers from near and far, as well as RCMP officers, paramedics, firefighters, police brass and dignitaries, filled the Urbandale Centre at Lansdowne Park for the afternoon service.

"Pickles" was the nickname given to Czapnik by his East division platoon, in honour of his deep love of the snack, which he was said to often enjoy with vodka.

Const. Troy Froates, who worked with Czapnik, told the audience the 51-year-old constable insisted on being called by the moniker and sometimes would jokingly not respond to dispatchers until they used it.

Froates said Czapnik would have been honoured and humbled by the large turnout at the funeral.

His lip quivering, Froates thanked the paramedics who came to Czapnik's aid after he was stabbed Dec. 29 outside the Civic campus of The Ottawa Hospital.

Their selfless actions, Froates said, are a sign of the good in the world.

dennisking

my father is a retired policeman. when people who protect and serve die, it's a shame

phobicsquirrel

Are police nicer in Canada? It sucks to die while working; for anybody.

jsnake

Another fallen hero.

Diamondog

I live in Ottawa, the city was completely stunned first officer to die in the line of duty here since 1982....the irony of this, he was murdered by a suspended RCMP officer.....the RCMP is the national police service for Canada....all the warning signs were there this guy had threatened to kill other people etc but slipped through the cracks.....

JZ

R.I.P. Brother!

Diamondog

I read a news article this morning in the local paper it gave his dying words......this all took place he was sitting in car outside the emergency at a local hospital doing up a report for a domestic disturbance call he was just at.....when paramedics looked over and saw what was happening they ran to him, suspect still on him it was aleady too late he had taken a major knife wound to the throat a male paramedic grabbed the suspect, the suspect was trying to stab him at this point, a female paramedic was trying to get the knife from his hand and another kicked him in the balls they wrestled him to the ground the cop still alive realized the suspect was subdued and his last words apparently were "thank you" to the paramedics.....

YankeeMan

This is doubly sad. As a retired police chief I feel the loss of a good officer, especially at the hands of a deranged officer is just horrible. My prayers go out to his family and his fellow officers.

Just as an aside, I've attended several classes with Canadian officers and their use of the term "police service" rather than our "police force" is right on.