Halifax Regional Police hold Law Enforcement Memorial

Halifax Regional Police marched in memory of their lost colleagues Sunday and a service was held to remember officers who died in the line of duty.

This year marked the 33rd annualLaw Enforcement Memorial in Halifax.

"This is an important service for us and for officers and their families because it allows us to give a moment to reflect upon the contributions and of course thesacrifices," said Jean-Michel Blais, chief of Halifax Regional Police.

Both sworn andcivilian police personnel marched from police headquarters onGottingenStreetto Grand Parade.

They thengatheredat theFallen Peace Officers' Monument for a ceremony that recognized23 officers who died.

Blais said he was thinking about RCMP Sgt. Mark Gallagher who was killed in Haiti during the 2010 earthquake. Blais had to bring his body home.

"The nature of our job is a very dangerous one, filled with risk," he said.

RCMP Sgt. Derek Burkholder who was shot and killed while responding to a domestic dispute in LunenburgCounty in 1996 was remembered by his daughter Tammy Burkholder.

"It's such a great honour, a real honour to be here and show our support for all the other families as well," she said.

Burkholder laid a wreath in her father's memory.

"It's hard to put it into words because it just means so much and to have his name there etched in stone."