A private funeral for Const. Grzegorz (Greg) Pierzchala, the 28-year-old Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) constable slain Dec. 27 while on duty, is being held starting at 11 a.m. ET today at the Sadlon Arena in his hometown of Barrie.
Pierzchala’s family, their guests, members of the OPP, representatives from other police services, Canadian Armed Forces members, emergency services personnel and officials are among those expected at the service, according to the OPP.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is also set to attend and give remarks.
“We do expect thousands and thousands of police officers from not only Ontario, but from elsewhere to gather to say goodbye to an officer, but to also help celebrate the life of a young police officer,” OPP spokesperson Bill Dickson told CBC.
Although the service isn’t open to the public, you can view the funeral procession and proceedings online starting at 10:30 a.m.
- CBC Hamilton will include a livestream for the funeral as this story is updated.
In Haldimand County, where Pierzchala had worked for the past 10 months, the Caledonia Lions Hall is also hosting an in-person broadcast of the funeral for the community, with doors opening at 10:30 a.m.
The procession carrying Pierzchala’s body travelled from Toronto to Barrie on Friday.
Constable had just passed probation
Pierzchala was responding to a black truck in a ditch near Hagersville, about 45 kilometres southwest of Hamilton, around 2:30 p.m. two days after Christmas Day when he was shot.
He is the fourth officer to be killed in Ontario, and the fifth killed in Canada, while on duty since mid-September.
Pierzchala died the same day he learned he had passed his 10-month probation. He had been patrolling independently since April, according to OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique.
A man and a woman were arrested shortly after the shooting, and now face first-degree murder charges.