An Ontario Provincial Police constable killed on the job last week is being remembered as the “glue” in his group of colleagues, as fellow officers, family members and dignitaries paid their final respects on Thursday.
A photo of Const. Tarun Bali as a young boy, beaming and saluting, was placed at the front of the packed Mississauga funeral venue as bagpipes rang out and uniformed OPP pallbearers carried his coffin down the aisle.
Beneath the gleeful childhood photo is one of an adult Bali in uniform — the man the police force said it will remember as a proud Canadian who served with integrity and dedication.
Bali, 29, was fatally struck by a vehicle last week in the northern Ontario town of Hearst, as police tried to stop a man who had escaped from a hospital.
An 18-year-old has been charged with first-degree murder in the case.
Chief Supt. Karl Thomas, who was Bali’s regional commander, remembered him as “the glue holding the group together during every challenge.”
Thomas said the late officer’s service and courage will never be forgotten.
“There are no words that can fully ease your pain,” he said in an address to Bali’s wife and parents.
“But please know this: You’re not alone. You are surrounded by a policing family and a broader community that stands with you today and in the days ahead.”
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Bali had “a genuine warmth that drew people in,” said Supt. Jon Dumond, recalling Bali’s willingness to work countless hours across 11 detachments in the province and his volunteer work with Peel Region victim services.
He was also part of an organization that promoted Indian music in the Greater Toronto Area and had a special affinity for his Mercedes-Benz, Dumond said, adding that the vehicle was at the funeral venue.
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Hindu priests chanted in Sanskrit and offered final prayers for Bali’s soul, believed to be eternal. Attendees then rose to their feet and officers stood at attention as OPP Const. Richard Pauls sang O Canada ahead of a moment of silence.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford told mourners that he had a heart-wrenching conversation with Bali’s widow.
Bali’s death is felt across the province, including the Brampton neighbourhood where he grew up and the places where his OPP “family” resides, the premier said.
“We can never properly repay the debt of gratitude that this province owes him,” Ford said, promising the late officer’s legacy will live on forever.
Bali’s funeral service is not open to the general public, but the OPP allowed people to observe the funeral cortege as it travelled west on Highway 407 from Thornhill to the Mississauga Sports and Entertainment Centre.
The service is being livestreamed on the OPP’s YouTube page.
Dumond said Bali’s death is a reminder of “the profound realities of policing.”
Bali is one of two officers killed on the job in the province this month. Const. Marc Pinizzotto, a Toronto police veteran, was shot dead last week during a raid linked to investigations into multiple shootings, including one at the U.S. Consulate in March.
“The impact of Tarun’s service and life reach far beyond the calls for service that he answered, and he will be remembered for that,” Dumond said.
Bali’s family said they would appreciate donations to the SickKids Foundation.
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