First officer killed in line of duty honoured

The first police officer killed in the line of duty in the Niagara region was honoured today — 160 years after he died. Charles Richards was the village constable for Port Robinson. Constable Richards was honoured in a special headstone re-dedication ceremony.

A parade of police officers marched down Port Robinson’s main street toward St. Paul’s Cemetery where Constable Charles Richards is buried.

It was October 2nd 1854. A local farmer about 6 kilometres from the village of Port Robinson was robbed of 25 dollars by three men. One of those men was William Townsend, the leader of the notorious Townsend gang.

Port Robinson, back in the 1850’s was a hub of about 800 people. There were a couple of bars in town. One of them owned by village Constable Charles Richards.

It was in one of other those bars where the unarmed Richards found wanted thief William Townsend.

Tom Russell, local historian: “Townsend replied, ‘Take your hand off my shoulder or I will shoot you’. He asked him again to stand up. And Townsend then turned around, took his gun and shot him in the head.”

Flags mark the spot where Constable Richards was shot.

A few years ago, Niagara police Sergeant Mike Waters heard about this Port Robinson officer who was killed: “I came, found his headstone which made me look into it a little more, and through the national police memorial found out he was the third oldest recorded officer killed in Canada.”

Richards headstone was weather beaten and looked like this. Today a new headstone, donated by Kirkpatrick Monuments, was unveiled during a special re-dedication ceremony.

And why is it so important to honour Charles Richards 160 years after he was killed?

Sergeant Waters: “Because he paid the ultimate sacrifice to protect, or do his duty. And that’s what the job’s all about.”

On Sunday, these officers will be in Ottawa where Charles Richards name will be added to the Canadian police and peace officers memorial.