Police officer killed in Abbotsford, B.C., remembered by British colleagues

ABBOTSFORD, B.C. – The name of a slain British Columbia policeman has been added to a memorial for fallen officers in the United Kingdom.

Northumbria Police held a service in Wallsend last week to honour Const. John Davidson.

The 53-year-old was killed in November while responding to reports of a stolen vehicle in Abbotsford.

Davidson began his policing career in Northumbria in 1993 before moving to Canada with his family and joining the Abbotsford Police Department in 2006.

Northumbria Police say Davidson’s wife and three children travelled to see his name unveiled on the force’s memorial wall.

The department’s temporary chief constable, Winton Keenen, says Davidson’s former colleagues considered him a good friend and described him as a warm and affectionate man who was dedicated to his job.

“When you join Northumbria Police you became a member of the force family and that doesn’t change when you move on,” Keenen said in a statement.

The service near Newcastle Upon Tyne follows a memorial in November where thousands of police and first responders marched along the streets of Abbotsford then packed an arena to celebrate Davidson’s life.

An Alberta man has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with Davidson’s death.