FREDERICTON, N.B. – Thousands of first responders from throughout North America flocked to Fredericton on Saturday to provide comfort and solace to the families of Constables Robb Costello and Sara Burns and, also, to members of the Fredericton Police Department.
“We all know members from Fredericton and Saint John,” said Dwayne Pike, acting chief of the Amherst Police Department, following the funeral. “You see members you went to the academy with, you’ve been in course with, you’ve worked with in different situations, and you see the heartbreak and you share it.”
Pike was one of several police officers from the Amherst Police Department to attend Saturdays solemn regimental funeral for Constables Robb Costello and Sara Burns of the Fredericton Police Department.
“When you see the families and you see the members and how it affects the community as a whole, that’s one of those things that really hits you,” said Pike. “Being police officers, it’s hard to deal with.”
Pike said it was especially difficult watching Fredericton police chief Leanne Fitch speaking through her heartache at the funeral.
“Watching the Chief trying to talk to our members and the families was tough,” said Pike. “Four people lost their lives for something so senseless, and now you have a community devastated by that.”
Phillip Ross of the Cape Breton Regional Police Department also attended the funeral.
“I went through the academy with Robb Costello. He was a classmate of mine at the Atlantic Police Academy. We trained together in 1997 and 98,” said Ross. “Robb had a great outlook. He was a great person and very dedicated. You knew Robb was going to be a great policeman.”
Ross said the funeral was very touching.
“It touches your heart, and there’s solidarity no matter where you’re from,” said Ross. “Whether you’re Canadian or American, everybody comes together to show their support.”
Sgt. Kelly Oberg of the Calgary Police Department attended the funeral with many of his colleagues.
“It’s difficult to see the families and the spouses and how it impacts the children,” said Oberg. “We’re from Calgary and, as fellow police officers, we understand the risks of the job and we all understand that, by the grace of God, it could be any one of us at any time.”
Ross agrees.
“Everybody is conscious to the fact it could happen, and we train for every type of scenario but, unfortunately, things like this do occur. It’s a tragic set of circumstances,” said Ross.
The senseless randomness of the tragedy can be difficult to absorb and understand.
"Being police officers it’s hard to deal with. It can happen anywhere," said Pike, while adding that there is one major takeaway from the funeral.
“You have to move forward, you have to use what you get from the community, your members, your family, and the people around you,” said Pike. “That’s the lesson here. No matter what happens you can’t quit, you have to move forward.”
