A Strathcona RCMP officer has died following a collision early Monday morning.
Const. Harvinder Singh Dhami died after his vehicle crashed while responding to a noise complaint at 2 a.m. on Township Road 540 east of Edmonton.
According to police, Dhami, 32, was driving a police vehicle when he lost control and crashed into a concrete barrier. He was treated at the scene of the crash by emergency services and civilians but died from his injuries.
Dhami was a well-respected member of the RCMP, having served for four years, police said in a news conference Monday afternoon.
He was described as a dedicated officer who had a passion for serving his community.
Alberta RCMP deputy Commissioner Curtis Zablocki said in Monday’s news conference that from the time Dhami graduated from the RCMP Depot in 2019, he had “a strong sense of responsibility.”
“He was hardworking, dependable and so well-liked by everyone around him,” Zablocki said.
Dale Kendall, the Strathcona RCMP detachment commander, said Dhami is survived by his wife.
“He was a husband. He was a son. He was a brother. He was a friend. He was a colleague. And he was so much more,” Kendall said.
The news of Dhami’s death has been met with shock and sadness by his colleagues and the wider police community. Many have taken to social media to express their condolences and pay tribute to his life and service.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith posted condolences on Twitter and thanked Dhami for his service.
“This is incredibly heartbreaking. I want to extend Alberta’s deepest sympathies to the family, friends, and colleagues of Cst. Dhami,” she wrote.
Smith also said she has ordered flags at the Alberta Legislature and the McDougall Centre to be lowered to half-mast.
“On behalf of the CPS, we offer our heartfelt condolences to the officer’s family, friends, and our RCMP brothers and sisters. We share in the profound grief that is being felt across Canada,” Calgary Police said in a tweet.
Dhami’s death comes less than a month after two Edmonton Police Service officers, Constables Brett Ryan and Travis Jordan, were shot and killed while on duty.
Funeral arrangements for Dhami are expected to be announced later this week.
