Police officers can die while just doing their jobs
Editorial

As the events of what went on early Thursday morning in Markham unfolded, it became clear that York Regional Police had lost an exemplary member of their ranks.

Constable Robert Plunkett, 43, died while trying to make an arrest in a case apparently involving the theft of airbags from cars. Two men have been arrested regarding this incident, and since these are still early days in the investigation, it is both premature and inappropriate for us to make any further comment on these individuals.

The person deserving of comment is Constable Plunkett.

By all accounts, he was a dedicated police officer and family man, but he was also one who contributed beyond the scope demanded by those two commitments. He was a co-coordinator of the York Regional Police Law Enforcement Torch Run in the 1990s, and he was cochair of the 2000 Ontario Special Olympic Spring Games, which were held in York.

The fact that such a man had to die under such circumstances must fill us all with grief. But we contend the most tragic part of this is Constable Robert Plunkett was an ordinary guy at work Thursday morning, doing his job when things took a sudden and horrible turn.

Those of us who have jobs know that there are good days and bad days, filled with people we enjoy dealing with and those who we would prefer not to see. But for the vast majority of us, our lives are not in jeopardy when we start our work days.

Police officers have a difficult lot sometimes. Most of us probably like to think we appreciate that, but the truth is none of us are going to think very kind thoughts about a cop as he or she hands us a ticket for going 25 clicks over the posted speed limit. But who knows who that officer is going to be dealing with an hour after that ticket is issued? That's probably something few of us take the time to think about.

The reality is police face certain extra dangers when they are on the job that would be foreign to most of us. It is also true that Robert Plunkett knew and accepted the risk involved in his job. He had, after all, stuck with it for 22 years, earning the esteem of his colleagues and the community in the process.

But reality also tells us that he died doing his job, and no one should have to die under those circumstances.