‘Whatever he did, he was all in’: Funeral held for Ontario police officer killed in Highway 401 crash

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Thousands gather at funeral service for OPP Officer Brandon Malcolm

‘All of Ontario grieves with you’: Premier Ford speaks at Sgt. Brandon Malcolm’s funeral

Funeral for fallen OPP officer Sgt. Brandon Malcolm

A funeral was held Wednesday for Sgt. Brandon Malcolm, the Ontario Provincial Police officer who was killed in a single-vehicle motorcycle crash on Highway 401 last week.

Thousands of police officers filled the Cobourg Community Centre to pay their respects, as Malcolm’s casket laid draped in an Ontario flag.

Premier Doug Ford was in attendance and spoke at the ceremony, telling Malcolm’s family: “Our hearts break for you.”

“As we remember Sgt. Malcolm, I want to assure his loved ones and his colleagues that all of Ontario grieves with you in the face of this terrible loss,” he said.

‘I carry him with me always’

Malcolm’s wife, Vashti Persaud, delivered a tearful address at the service, alongside members of her family.

“It just doesn’t feel real. And yet, even in this unbearable pain, I know this: he died doing what he believed in, and that is the kind of man he was. Selfless, brave and full of love. I carry him with me always, in every memory, every laugh, every quiet moment, he will forever still be my home. He is still my heart,” she said.

“Thank you for loving me. Thank you for choosing me. Thank you for every moment we had together. I will love you for the rest of my life.”

Malcolm‘s brother, York Regional Police Const. Jared, fought back tears during his remarks.

“It’s going to take a lot to get through this one,” he said.

“Today, I’m standing here, not just as a police officer, but as a brother, someone who had the privilege of growing up alongside Brandon. Learning from him, with him, and sharing the bond that has always been there, even when life got busy.”

Ontario’s Lieutenant Governor Edith Dumont and OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique also spoke at the service, which was attended by all levels of government.

“A rapidly-rising young leader whose experience and contributions far exceeded his years of service. Whatever he did, he was all in,” Carrique said.

“The only thing bigger than his physical presence was his positive energy.”

The hearse carrying Malcolm’s body departed from a funeral home in Oshawa at approximately 8:30 a.m. ET and arrived at the centre about an hour later. Thousands of police officers were seen lining the route.

“He was somebody who always wanted to be a police officer. That was his dream,” OPP Sgt. Joe Brisebois told CP24 outside of the centre on Wednesday. “He was somebody who was passionate about his community, a hard worker and it’s just a great loss for everyone.”

The funeral was not open for the public to attend in-person, but was livestreamed by the OPP.

Malcolm, 33, died while on duty on April 27 after a crash in Cobourg. The circumstances leading to the crash are still under investigation. His body was brought to the Centre of Forensic Sciences in Toronto following the incident.

Malcolm joined the Northumberland Detachment of the OPP in June 2020 and served as a member of the force’s Golden Helmets, a specialized motorcycle team.

He previously served as a combat engineer with the Canadian Armed Forces and was an auxiliary member of the Toronto Police Service.

Discovery made at crash site

OPP Const. Richard Pauls, who delivered remarks on behalf of Malcolm’s parents Lisa and Nigel, explained that some of the police motorcycles involved in Wednesday’s procession were affixed with “little bells,” which he said cannot be bought and must be received as a gift.

“Brandon and his roommate, Dan Clark, gifted these bells to one another as a symbol of friendship and the bond that they shared,” Pauls said.

After the crash, Malcolm’s motorcycle was returned to OPP headquarters, where it was discovered that his bell was missing.

“Remarkably, it was recovered just the other day at the scene, unscathed, in perfect condition, a powerful reminder of the strength of a bond and a deeply meaningful moment for all of us,” he said.