Const. Rich Wall took off his bobby helmet and placed it to rest beside a book of condolence for the fallen officer killed in the London attack on Wednesday.
The book of condolence will be available at Calgary Police Headquarters for anyone who wishes to add their expressions of sympathy. The Union Jack will fly at half-mast outside police headquarters.
“We are one big family,” Wall said. “We bleed blue blood, and yesterday the blue line got thinner for sure.”
Wednesday’s attack particularly hit home for the District 2 officer — Wall previously worked for the Metro police department in London. His very first assigned district was walking the beat along Parliament where the attacks took place yesterday. He didn’t know officer Keith Palmer, but believes he died a hero.
“Keith went on duty like every other police officer with the expectation to come home to his family,” Const. Wall said. “He stopped a deranged individual who used a… vehicle to take down 40 people and try to get into the heart of Parliament, and Keith stopped him.”
Wall said even though he’s thousands of miles away from his hometown these days, he still feels very connected with that city’s men and women on the front lines.
“I was born and brought up in London,” he said. “You can take the policeman out of London, but you can’t take the London out of the policeman.”