'We All Stand Together': City rallies at Edmonton Police Regiment funeral (2023)

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As the city gathered in downtown Edmonton Monday to mourn two fallen police officers, one word echoed from onlookers watching the entire core — "victims."

Hundreds gathered Monday at the regiment's funeral and procession for Travis Jordan and Brett Ryan, Edmonton Police Officers who were shot dead just before 1 a.m. on March 16 while responding to an appeal for family violence at the Baywood Park apartment complex responded in a north-western part of the city.

Edmonton native Roland Gehrke stood somber amid flashing police cruisers and blue ribbons tied along the procession path at 104 Avenue and 105 Street, and told Postmedia he came with his wife and extended family to greet the Edmonton police force in light of the tragedy to support.

As the father of a daughter who serves as a police officer, he said the police officers' deaths occurred near home.

"Every day they put on their uniforms and go out not knowing if they will come back," he said of the police. "They are putting their own lives at risk and their families are concerned for their safety at home."

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"Here to honor their sacrifice"

Before the procession reached Rogers Place Arena around noon, thousands of police officers from across Canada gathered for the service under breezy, bright, cloudless skies at the Alberta Parliament Building.

More than 1,200 members of the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) were scheduled to attend the funeral at Rogers Place, joining the first responders and emergency services workers from across Alberta and across the country who marched in a procession that left Parliament House at around 11:45 a.m

Officers from police services from as far afield Surrey, B.C., and Halifax, N.S., gathered before the march downtown on the south side of the southern Legislative Grounds, most of them gathered around the Pillar of Strength - a flame-crowned memorial to sworn in Alberta peace officers killed in the line of duty.

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"It's important that we're here to honor her sacrifice," said Michelle Burns, watching the procession pass in front of the Queen Elizabeth II building in the north-east corner of the grounds.

Closer to the arena, flags flew at half-staff in front of MacEwan University as crowds lined both sides of 104 Avenue east of 105 Street, where two Edmonton fire trucks stretched out ladders to hang a pair of Maple Leafs over the procession route.

"We all stand together"

Both the funeral and on-site involvement served as a sobering reminder of the risks facing police and other first responders on the job, said Kristy Wood, who watched the procession from the southeast corner of Rogers Place.

"It's overwhelming and just so beautiful to see how so many service workers come together - to be a truly united part of such a wonderful city - and how strong we all stand together," she said. "You have to think of the sacrifice these men and women are making to protect our city."

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With a husband in the Edmonton Fire Department, she joined members of the department in sending condolences and support to the victims' families and the city police.

"It's just very emotional," she said, fighting some of her own feelings to share her thoughts. "You know, seeing your loved ones go every day — it's a huge sacrifice."

Two hearses bearing the policemen's names and regimental numbers, flanked by lines of marching officers, followed dozens of police motorcycles leading the procession. A column of officers, soldiers, sheriffs and representatives of many other services followed on foot, marching through the train to the beat of the fife and drum players.

Instruments and footsteps echoed from Parliament Grounds to Rogers Place as spectators braved the windy and chilly weather to witness before pouring into the Ice District Plaza on the other side of the arena and City Hall further east - designated public Viewing areas for a live stream of the service.

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"Something terrible is happening"

But when the funeral service began just before 1:30 p.m., only about 160 remained in the square, most of them huddled around a fire pit near the center of the square.

Meanwhile, about a dozen viewers watching the live stream in City Hall's atrium rose from their seats at about the same time.

Marcella Sejarac arrived early Monday to watch the procession. She was moved by the strong support from out of town police and said she felt "extreme sadness" for the families of the two officers.

"It was a disaster," Sejarac said. "It was a terrible thing. These people gave their lives to protect us. They think of all those (officers) who are still there...they know that (giving up their lives) could be a possibility. I respect her."

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Cindy Mandin, who tuned in at around 11:30 a.m., said she came because she knew police officers and had been personally protected by them.

"Thank God for the police because any time something goes wrong you need a police officer," she said. "I think on duty we often don't realize how dangerous it is."

Both women were grateful that the city made the location available to view the public procession and private funeral for people like them who find it difficult to stand for long periods of time.

Like many in attendance both inside and outside the arena, Edmonton Police Commission Chairman Erick Ambtman wore a black and blue EPS ribbon during a brief stop at City Hall Monday morning before the service began. He said he was reflecting on the grief he and others in the city are going through.

While he was pleased to see strong public support as he watched the procession meander through the core of the city, he said the police officers' deaths served as a "wake-up call" for the commission.

"We rarely have to deal with something like this and this reality that we're going to hire hundreds of other officers who will move into this position any day," he said. "Officer safety means something different than it did a week ago."

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