It was one year ago today (Sunday, Sept. 22) that a beloved Ridge Meadows RCMP constable was gunned down while on duty.
Since then, Const. Rick O'Brien's coworkers, family, friends, and community have been mourning his passing and paying tribute to the fallen Mountie in a variety of ways.
The most recent tribute was held Friday, in the form of a private ceremony at his detachment in Maple Ridge, where a cenotaph and a wall of honour were unveiled, commemorating what the officer in charge Supt. Wendy Mehat, described as O’Brien’s "legacy of bravery and compassion."
"Let’s treasure the moments we shared with Rick, and continue to be inspired by the light he brought into our lives," Mehat said during Friday's ceremony.
"Rick, we love you, we miss you, we honour you, and we will never forget you. Rest in peace – from all your fellow officers, the team at Ridge Meadows, and our partners across the Lower Mainland," she shared.
O'Brien, a 51-year-old Langley resident, was killed when he and several other officers executed a search warrant in Coquitlam related to a drug investigation.
That was Sept. 22, 2023, and Mounties ended up in an altercation with a suspect that turned deadly.
O'Brien was fatally shot and died on scene, while a second Ridge Meadows officer was also hit, and a third suffering non-firearm-related injuries. Nicholas Bellemare has subsequently arrested and charged with first-degree murder in his death. The case is still before the courts.
Meanwhile, throughout the past 12 months, O’Brien – who had been a frontline and community policing officer during his seven years on the force – has been honoured in the community through events such as a joint forces ball hockey jamboree and the unveiling of the Pitt Meadows youth lounge, now called the Constable Rick O’Brien Youth Lounge.
"Constable O’Brien was best known for his desire to create a positive relationship between law enforcement and youth in our community," noted Mehat.
"Constable O’Brien could often be found interacting with youth at schools or youth lounges in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows," she added.
The jamboree is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to things that his widow, Nicole Longacre-O’Brien, wants to do to honour her husband and continue some of his good work.
“Building his legacy is the most important and most meaningful task I can do,” said Longacre-O’Brien, who is the driving force behind the annual ball hockey jamboree in O'Brien's honour.
“We didn’t deserve to lose him," she told Black Press Media. "The communities didn’t deserve to lose him. He was one of the good guys that truly wanted to make a difference. So I’m going to do what he set out to do, make positive change and create lasting relationships between youth and law enforcement.”
In further commemoration, this September O’Brien’s name was added to the honour roll and memorial wall at RCMP depot division in Regina. And now the wall at his own detachment.
Next, Mehat explained that his name will also be added to the BC Law Enforcement Memorial in Victoria and to the Canadian Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial in Ottawa later this month.
"Constable O’Brien will always be remembered as kind and compassionate, with an incredibly witty sense of humour. Constable O’Brien was very much a family man, and a lover of sports," said Mehat.
Speaking to his character, the superintendent also cited that only a few months after becoming a Mountie in 2017, O’Brien earned an Award of Valour. This distinction came after he placed himself at "substantial risk" when he entered a residence that was subject of an armed home invasion.
"Constable O’Brien without hesitation entered the home to assist with the rescue of victims and to apprehend the suspects," explained his boss.
