Constable Ezio Faraone Park is being rededicated to recognize all Edmonton police officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
“It’s an emotional day for sure,” said Edmonton Police Chief Dale McFee.
The central Edmonton river valley park originally opened in 1992, two years after Faraone, 33, was shot and killed while pursuing suspects in an armed robbery.
Faraone – who was assigned to a Tactical Team Unit — was described as an outstanding police officer, an excellent team player and respected by all EPS members.
He died on June 25, 1990.
Ten Edmonton police officers have been killed on duty since 1918.
On June 8, 2015, Edmonton was shaken by the first police officer killed in the line of duty since Faraone’s death. Const. Daniel Woodall, 35, was shot during an attempted arrest in the west end. Woodall was laid to rest in a regimental funeral on June 17.
Most recently, on March 16, 2023, constables Travis Jordan, 35, and Brett Ryan, 30, were shot and killed while responding to a family dispute at an apartment building near Westmount Mall.
The park has a bronze statue of a police officer kneeling to speak to a child. An additional tribute will be unveiled Tuesday afternoon: the fallen officers’ names engraved on the pedestal base of the statue and new banners with the officers’ photos.
A rededication ceremony was held at Const. Ezio Faraone Park near 110th Street and 97th Avenue at 1 p.m. on June 25, the 34th anniversary of Faraone’s passing.
“It’s not every profession that somebody gives up their life protecting others,” McFee said. “It’s just something that becomes a duty to remember them and remember their legacy and the good work they put in for many.”
This rededication and the new carving have been in the works for some time, McFee said.
“It’s just getting the family members together… honouring our fallen. I can’t think of a better way to pay our respects than having everybody added to the park, which was obviously the game plan from the start.
“A way to rededicate, rename and find a better way — to etch it right into the statue makes it that much more of a lasting legacy,” he said.
“We just hope we don’t have any more of these, that we hold it at 10.”