Ex-officer disappointed by visit to police memorial

My wife and I visited Ottawa recently and planned on attending the Police and Peace Officers Memorial on Parliament Hill as we always do when in the capital. Due to the construction on the grounds, I approached an RCMP vehicle with two officers to ask the best route to the memorial.

The officers did not seem to know to what I was referring, despite my attempts to inform them. As a retired police officer, I was shocked at their indifference and ignorance about the location that honours their comrades who have given their lives in the line of duty.

These officers are members of a renowned and recognized police service. Despite their guard duties, they are our ambassadors, representing Canada to international visitors.

We did make our way to the memorial, then found the honour roll scrolls had been removed. There was nothing at the site to indicate where they had been moved to, or indicate why they were removed. There were no informative signs that would assist or redirect members of the public to the new location. (I learned through Google that they have been temporarily moved near the East Block.)

This truly was a disappointing experience. The women and men who have sacrificed their lives for the safety and security of our country deserve more. Gary Crowell, Burlington