'Please come and join us': Everyone welcome at funeral for Const. John Davidson

The Abbotsford Police Department is throwing open its arms to welcome first responders and members of the public from around the world to the regimental funeral for Const. John Davidson.

Davidson was killed in a shootout on Monday, and APD Sgt. Judy Bird says everyone is welcome to his celebration of life on Nov. 19 at 1 p.m. in the Abbotsford Centre.

"Please come and join us. We want to make sure that we make this something that his family and John would be proud of," she told CBC News.

A procession of uniformed law enforcement officers was scheduled to begin at noon, but Bird said the department is looking at extending that to make room for the large number of people expected to attend.

"We want this celebration to be about John and to celebrate who he was and to make sure that that resonates everywhere," she said.

"This type of violence is not the norm for Canada ... so this has been really difficult for us, as well as for those who knew him. John was a spectacular man."

Throughout Abbotsford on Friday, residents were tying blue ribbons around trees and lampposts to honour the fallen officer. A makeshift memorial in front of the police station continued to grow as people dropped off flowers and handwritten notes.

Kirsten Clark was there to add a bouquet to the pile. She described Davidson as a pillar of the community.

"I think it's hit close to home for all of us. My husband is a police officer and there's always that worry when they leave the house," she said. "It's weighed heavy on everyone's hearts this week."

A big task

Planning a regimental funeral for a fallen officer can be a monumental task with a lot of moving parts, according to Corps Sgt. Maj. Jim Luttrell of the Edmonton Police Service.

"You're going to get massive participation from all across the country, all across the world. Police officers and peace officers from all over will be converging," he said.

The organizers have to find a venue of the appropriate size, plan a procession path, coordinate with transportation officials to reroute traffic, figure out lodgings for visitors from afar and arrange for security.

On top of all that, the event needs to serve its primary purpose as a time of grieving.

"To see one of our colleagues ... succumb to an injury or get killed in the line of duty by an act of violence, it can rattle us. This is part of our healing process," Luttrell said.

Luttrell says a large public show of grief can be therapeutic for the family as well.

"The regimental funeral can be very powerful. When you have such a massive show of support for the officer and subsequently their family, that can help them in their grieving and their healing process."

Oscar Arfmann, 65, of Alberta has been charged with first degree murder in Davidson's death.

With files from Anita Bathe