

Chris Fox and Chris Kitching, CP24.com





A 34-year-old Toronto police officer who was severely injured in a weekend crash while he was on duty has succumbed to his injuries.

Const. John Zivcic was pronounced dead at around 12:35 p.m. Monday.

Zivcic’s mother, brother and sister and members of the police were by his side at the time of his death at St. Michael’s Hospital.

“He died in the line of duty doing his job and trying to keep the public safe,” Deputy Police Chief Peter Sloly told reporters outside St. Michael’s Hospital Monday afternoon. “It is a sad day for all of us.”

Zivcic was responding to an emergency call for an impaired driver when his police cruiser collided with a second vehicle near Bloor Street West and Neilson Drive, just west of Highway 427, late Saturday afternoon. Zivcic was rushed to hospital with critical injuries. The female driver of the other vehicle sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

“Our hearts are broken for John’s family,” Toronto Police Association President Mike McCormack told reporters outside the hospital. “We are going to be burying a 34-year-old police officer and there is no way to describe the tragedy and the impact that has.”

Funeral arrangements are currently being made for Zivcic and will be released in the next few days.

Zivcic, who was trained as a tool and die maker before joining the police service in August 2007, was a traffic services officer with 22 Division.

Speaking with reporters, McCormack said the entire police force has been shaken by the death of a colleague but he called on members to “rally around” Zivcic’s family as they struggle to come to terms with the tragedy.

“Our only concern is to help his poor mother and the family,” he said. “They are absolutely devastated.”

Mayor Rob Ford visited Zivcic in hospital over the weekend and after hearing about his death Monday he vowed to do whatever he can to help the officer’s family in their time of need.

“It is terrible news that I just received. He was a hard working constable and our thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family during this challenging time,” he told reporters at city hall. “It is really hard when you lose a loved one and we really have to support his family here. Anything we can do we will be here for them.”

In a statement, Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly also offered his condolences to Zivcic’s family, promising that the “service and courage” of their loved one will not be forgotten.

Police Chief Bill Blair is currently out of town, but is returning to the city to deal with the tragedy.

“He wanted to be here with the family and with John in his last days and hours, but that was not possible,” Sloly said, responding to a question. “He is en route as we speak and he will make himself available to the family as soon as he gets here.

Zivcic is originally from St. Catharines but moved to Mississauga when he joined the police force.

In an article that was posted on the police service's website when Zivcic's recruit class graduated nearly seven years ago, the officer, then 28, said he was inspired by the people he met on the job and the brotherhood of policing.

“The camaraderie of the job is important, I can’t imagine being part of a bigger team than in policing,” Zivcic told the interviewer. “I think I will grow as a person and learn a lot.”

Zivcic is the first Toronto police officer to die in the line of duty in nearly three years. Sgt. Ryan Russell was killed in January 2011.

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