A large crowd is expected, including thousands of police officers, to salute one last time Sergeant Maureen Breau, of the Sûreté du Québec (SQ), killed on duty two weeks ago in Louiseville, Mauricie.
A procession made up of police officers from across the country will pay a solemn tribute to him by marching through the streets of Trois-Rivières to the Notre-Dame-du-Cap basilica.
This is where the funeral of the policewoman, who had just over 20 years of experience, will be held at 1:30 p.m.
The public will not be able to attend the ceremony inside the basilica, but will be able to pay homage to the policewoman throughout the three kilometers which will be covered by the procession, which must start around 11:30 a.m. elected officials are expected there.
Photo: Google Maps screenshot
Sergeant Breau died on March 27 while proceeding with a teammate to arrest a man at his home. According to the Bureau of Independent Investigations (BEI), he suddenly took a nearby knife and stabbed the policewoman. The BEI is already investigating the events. The 35-year-old man was then shot dead by fellow police officers called in as reinforcements. He suffered from mental health issues and had several criminal records.
Maureen Breau, 42, sadly became the ninth Quebec police officer to die in service, and the third woman in the SQ. The mother of two children was attached to the SQ station in Louiseville, and her spouse also works for the provincial police force. The Coroner’s Office will be responsible for a public inquiry into his death.
Six years had passed since a police officer had died in uniform in Quebec: Richer Dubuc, of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, had lost his life on duty in March 2017.
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