Slain Calgary police officer grew up in Hagersville
Sgt. Andrew Harnett remembered with signs, blue ribbons by townsfolk
The Calgary police sergeant killed by a vehicle fleeing a traffic stop New Year’s Eve is being mourned as a lost son in his hometown of Hagersville.
Sgt. Andrew Harnett, 37, died after being struck by a vehicle he had pulled over in the Alberta city shortly before midnight Dec. 31. A 19-yearold man and 17year-old youth turned themselves in Friday and face charges of first-degree murder.
Harnett lived and worked for Calgary police for 12 years — but he grew up in Hagersville.
His brother, Jason Harnett, posted a “thank you Hagersville” message online this weekend, highlighting photos of a message board from the local United Church, blue porch lights shining at local homes and a half-mast flag at Hagersville Secondary, where Andrew went to school.
“The heartache here is tremendous right now,” said Pastor Peggy Bartlett of Hagersville United Church. “The family is very much part of the community, very much loved.”
Both of Harnett’s parents were school teachers and involved with
volunteer endeavours like the local food bank and Lion’s Club, she said.
Andrew and his two brothers were also deeply involved in that “community life” before leaving to pursue careers across the country.
Bartlett said childhood friends of Andrew have organized a campaign to get area residents to attach blue or black ribbons to their doors, porches and trees.
The Hagersville chamber of commerce also sent an appeal to members Sunday to echo the campaign on business windows.
Some people are also replacing porch lights with blue bulbs — a memorial popular in Calgary where the recently promoted Harnett is being mourned as a dedicated, community-minded officer.
Jason Harnett told the Spectator’s sister paper, the Gravenhurst Banner, that Andrew was always drawn to policing, getting to know Haldimand and Brant-area OPP officers and volunteering with Crime Stoppers as a young man.
The enthusiastic officer embraced his new western home of Calgary, too.
“He loved not only the community and helping out and getting to know the kids and community groups, but he really loved being on the beat and just really feeling the pulse of the city and proactive crime fighting,” his brother said.
Members of police services across the country publicly mourned a fellow officer lost in the line of duty. Locally, the Brant and West Region OPP posted condolences for Harnett online with the hashtag “heroesinlife.”
“He really was a hero,” said Hagersville-area Haldimand Coun. Tony Dalimonte, who grew up near the family.
“They were all great kids ... I think here there is a lot of shock and frustration over such a senseless act.”
Close family members gathered at mother Valerie’s Hagersville home over the weekend.
Online, brother Jason thanked supporters and urged them not to take anything for granted.
“Our beloved Andrew was taken in the line of duty,” he tweeted.
“Please reach out to your family (and) tell them how much you love them. We are so proud of Sgt. Harnett. He was one of a kind.”
Bartlett said she has spoken to Harnett’s mother and hopes a local celebration of life event might be possible later this year, if COVID cases decline and pandemic rules are gradually eased.
“I can tell you if there was no pandemic, a memorial service here would see this church packed solid and beyond,” she said.