To say it’s been a sad week in our community would be an understatement.
The senseless deaths of Constables Morgan Russell and Devon Northrup have left us all stunned and confused, with a million questions.
How could this happen? Why did it happen? What could have been done differently to avoid this nightmare?
And while we may never get all the answers to what transpired that night in Alcona, it doesn’t matter, because nothing will bring back these two fine gentlemen who were just doing their jobs, protecting their community.
Standing outside Barrie's Sadlon Arena on Thursday morning and watching the thousands of police officers and emergency personnel gather in solidarity to honour the late constables was remarkable, and a scene I will never forget.
I just stood there. Watching. I didn’t speak. The whole scene literally took my breath away. I have covered tragic stories before, but nothing of this magnitude.
As a journalist, covering tragic news can be difficult. There is nothing I loathe more than asking the family and friends of the recently deceased for a comment or statement for a story. It’s the least favourite part of my job. It's a balancing act: trying to get the information the community wants to know while also being respectful to those mourning their beloved.
We do this to try and get a sense of who the deceased is, and what they were like, in order to paint a picture for our readers.
That picture was painted with multiple colours and brushes on Thursday by those who spoke during the funeral service for Russell and Northrup, which was attended by thousands of police services and emergency personnel across North America.
I cried watching the funeral online as the family members spoke at the podium of these two heroic men. I didn’t know them personally, but after the funeral, it almost felt like I had. The stories shared by colleagues, friends and family gave us all a glimpse into what they were really like on and off duty. It was a beautiful tribute.
Their stories humanized these two brave heroes.
Like Russell’s daughter said in her eulogy, these officers have families: spouses, children, parents, pets...all waiting for them to come home after their shift. They are people who live in our community and put their life on the line for us every day. And sometimes I think we forget that.
Five police officers have died in this country in the past two months. This is worrisome. How are we to feel safe when the ones protecting us are being killed?
As Police Association of Ontario president Mark Baxter said last week, incidents like these are a reminder of the dangers police officers put themselves in every day to protect the communities they serve and remind us of the “unwavering courage, bravery and devotion they display every time they put on their uniform.”
While the funerals for these two gentlemen may be over, their story will have a lasting impact on our community for years to come. The legacies of Constables Russell and Northrup will live on and we will never forget their selfless sacrifice.
Natasha Philpott is the community editor at BradfordToday and InnisfilToday.
