Ottawa police honour fallen officer

Ottawa police unveiled a memorial plaque Saturday in honour of Const. Ireneuz (Eric) Czapnik, who was killed in the line of duty late last year.

The plaque bearing Czapnik’s name was unveiled at a ceremony attended by the late officer's wife and children. It will be added to the Fallen Officers’ Wall of Honour at Ottawa police headquarters.

Czapnik's name is also expected to be added to the Wall of Honour at four divisional police stations.

"This year we honour Const. Eric Czapnik, who died on Dec. 29, 2009," Chief Vern White said at the ceremony. "As well, we honour our 14 historical Ottawa police inductees who sacrificed their lives in years past, whose names appear on our Fallen Officers Memorial Wall."

Blue-ribbon decals were also unveiled and will be added to all Ottawa marked police cars in memory of all fallen officers.

The unveiling coincided with the sixth annual National Peace Officers’ Memorial Run that wrapped up at Parliament Hill and the National Police and Peace Officers Memorial Service that will be held Sunday.

Czapnik was stabbed to death last Dec. 29 outside the civic campus of the Ottawa Hospital, where he had been sitting in his cruiser taking notes.

Czapnik, who had been with the Ottawa Police Service since 2007, is only the second Ottawa officer to be killed while on duty in more than 25 years.

Kevin Gregson, a suspended RCMP officer from Saskatchewan, has been charged with first-degree murder.