Fallen officer brought home

Photo: CTV

Dozens of police cars bring John Davidson's body back to Abbotsford Thursday.

A long procession of police cars, with their lights flashing, brought the body of Const. John Davidson back to Abbotsford Thursday.

Davidson was shot and killed Monday in Abbotsford while responding to a report of a stolen car.

Thursday's drive, which saw first responders and civilians saluting the fallen officer along the route, brought Davidson's body from Vancouver General Hospital to a funeral home in Abbotsford.

Const. David Drummond travelled from Calgary to pay his respects.

“He's a man that you looked up to," Drummond said. "Things that I learned from him when I rode along with him have stuck with me, and I've passed them on to the people I work with. So he's left his mark on me."

Davidson had been honoured multiple times in his career for his work getting impaired drivers off the road and won a provincial crime award for a presentation he taught in high schools about the dangers of ecstasy.

He recently took part in the nine-day Cops For Cancer Tour de Valley ride, raising money for childhood cancer research.

"He was so ecstatic to be involved," Abbotsford Police Chief Bob Rich said Tuesday."He was so thrilled that he could take part in this ride and contribute to these kids' lives. He was so thankful for the opportunity, and it sort of really brings home who I want you to understand John Davidson to be."

A GoFundMe page raised more than $90,000 in one day, as of Thursday night, for Davidson's family.

Davidson's funeral will be held on Nov. 19.

– with files from CTV Vancouver