History of the Peace Officers' Memorial Ribbon

In 1994 a young Toronto police officer was killed on duty. Constable Shawn Coady, working general patrol for the Vancouver Police Department, heard about this loss through the 'grapevine' at work. Although this slaying made the local news, Shawn noticed that it received only the attention of a byline. It could be found in the middle of the newspaper under a small heading. Shawn returned to work and found that most people he spoke with were unaware that a Police Officer had been killed on duty in Toronto. Shawn found it frustrating that he had no way of mourning the loss of a fellow officer, and no way to honor this officer's ultimate sacrifice.

Shawn went home and shared his concerns with his wife 'Diane'. He came up with an idea that would permit all officers to mourn such tragic losses, and open an avenue to remember the ultimate sacrifice paid by police officers killed in the line of duty. He developed a Blue over Black ribbon, looped at the top (similar to other commemorative ribbons), with the Vancouver Police 'coat of arms' badge pinned in the middle. The Black expressed the mourning of a loss, the Blue stood for 'the thin Blue line', and the generic badge represented all police and peace officers. He wore the ribbon on his uniform at work. Many people asked him what this ribbon was, which allowed Shawn to express his feelings in relation to the death of another Officer while serving his community. Diane thought it was a great idea and wanted to wear one as well.

Shawn approached the Vancouver Police Department with his 'Ribbon Campaign', and it was officially endorsed that year. Every officer he spoke with thought it was a great idea and something that was definitely needed. Over the next few years, the ribbon was used whenever a Police Officer died "in the line of duty". In 1998 the BC Federation of Police Officers and the BC Municipal Association of Chiefs of Police endorsed the Ribbon in time for BC's first Police and Peace Officers Memorial Ceremony.

Shawn borrowed money from the Vancouver Police Mutual Benevolence Association and had two companies make 1000 ribbons. One company making the generic badge emblazoned with the Canadian Coat of Arms and the word "Police", with the second company looping the ribbons and pinning them together with the generic badge. The ribbons were sold, by donation, at the Memorial Ceremony to municipal Police officers, RCMP officers, American Police officers, a Japanese Contingent of Police officers, Peace Officers, family, friends, and anyone who wished to mourn and to illustrate their support. It was an overwhelming success. Enough money was made from the donations to pay the loan back and make more ribbons. Since then the Peace Officers' Memorial Ribbon has been endorsed nationally by the Canadian Police Association, the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

The design of the Ribbon has changed since the original concept. While it remains a Blue over Black ribbon looped at the top, pinned in the middle with a generic police badge, it is emblazoned with a maple leaf, a Canadian symbol known and recognized worldwide. The Ribbon is generic enough to permit all uniformed and plainclothes police and peace officers to wear it. The Ribbon is simple yet smart and respectful.

Shawn hopes to make the Ribbon a symbol of the Police and Peace Officers Memorial Day, held on the last Sunday of each September, much like what the 'poppy' represents for Remembrance Day. His initial goal was to open an avenue for members to express themselves and to make the public aware that another police or peace officer has died while on duty. The reaction to this simple goal exceeded all expectations. The objective now is to make the Ribbon a national symbol of awareness and mourning for the death of peace officers in general while on duty.

Shawn has since put together the 'Peace Officers Memorial Ribbon Society' with a Board of Directors made up of active and retired police and peace officers. Since the Ribbons inception, it has become recognized across Canada as the national symbol of mourning and the Society is working to move it to the USA and UK, making it an international symbol.

In June 2006 the Society changed its name from the Peace Officers' Memorial Ribbon Society to Police and Peace Officers' Memorial Ribbon Society in an effort to encompass all officers protecting our communities including the Military Police Officers that have paid the ultimate price for their service in the Canadian Armed Forces.

On January 1, 2008, the Police and Peace Officers' Memorial Ribbon Society finally received it's national charity status allowing it to be able to do more to honour the fallen officers and their families.