A dedication ceremony was held Thursday in Trenton, Ont., to honour three Trenton police officers who died in the line of duty.
The officers honoured were Const. Blair Campbell Brown who died on June 27, 1931; Const. Mark L. Houlden who died on July 29, 1970, and Const. James L. Begbie who died on June 22, 1978.
“These officers have made the ultimate sacrifice while in the line of duty, and I am truly humbled by their selfishness and dedication in serving the people of Ontario. These bridges along Highway 401 will serve as a lasting, permanent tribute of these heroes,” said Caroline Mulroney, Ontario’s Minister of Transportation, who was in attendance.
Highway 401 bridges at Wooler and Glen Miller roads, along with the bridge at County Road 33, now bear the names of the three fallen officers.
“The three Trenton-area bridges pay tribute for the three extraordinary lives they (officers) lived, and the gift of service they provided to their community,” said parliamentary assistant to the Minister of the Solicitor General, Christine Hogarth.
The Quinte West Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) was established in the early 2000s. Before this, Trenton had its own police service, Trenton Police Service. The OPP organized the service.
Family members were also in attendance.
OPP commissioner Thomas Carrique says recognizing fallen officers is important to their families, other officers and the community.
“It is a stark reminder to officers who travel under or over those bridges, and hopefully a reminder to the community, a reminder of the sacrifice that their officers make on their behalf to protect our communities and serve and protect our citizens,” explained Carrique.
Officers honoured
Const. Blair Campbell Brown, 29: He died in a motor vehicle collision while transporting a prisoner from Peterborough on June 27, 1931. He previously worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway Police before being appointed as traffic officer for the then Trenton Police. At the time of his death, Brown was survived by his wife and two young sons.
Const. Mark L. Houlden, 37: He died while responding to a domestic complaint with another officer. A physical altercation took place and he collapsed in the line of duty while protecting others. He is survived by his two children Brad and Lore.
Const. James Lynn Begbie: He was returning from firearms training when his motorcycle left the roadway. He died on June 22, 1978 from his injuries and at the time of his death was survived by his wife
— with files from Greg Davis/Global News