Edmonton police mourn death of well-known constable less than a week after slaying of two officers

Edmonton police announced the death of Const. Corinne Kline, seen here in an undated photo, on March 22, 2023.

An Edmonton police constable known for her outreach work has died less than one week after the violent deaths of two other EPS officers.

The Edmonton Police Service on Wednesday announced the death of Const. Corinne Kline, a 22-year veteran of the service.

The mother of three was mourned in a flurry of posts on social media.

“I cannot begin to imagine how hard it is for everyone in @edmontonpolice,” city Coun. Andrew Knack wrote on Twitter. “To hear the news about Corinne Kline is incredibly sad. She was an exceptionally positive person and made such a difference across Edmonton. My deepest condolences to her family, friends, and colleagues.”

Kline was 23 when she joined EPS in September 2001 and worked in patrol, front counter and as a volunteer coordinator. She also helped support survivors of domestic violence, EPS said in a Facebook post.

Most recently, Kline was a member of the police service’s Healthy Streets Operations Centre, a unit created in response to crime and disorder in and around Chinatown.

The centre is made up of community safety teams that include police and peace officers and paramedics. It focuses on crime and disorder in LRT stations, Chinatown, Downtown and Alberta Avenue. The teams “ engage with the community, and proactively address the issues associated with homelessness, drug use, crime and victimization that continue to plague central Edmonton,” EPS said in a 2022 news release.

Kline participated in a walk-along earlier this month illustrating for politicians, community leaders and media the work the teams do.

Staff Sgt. Michael Elliott, the former head of the Edmonton Police Association, called Kline “a true gem.”

“A leader, a parent, a wife, a friend, a community member and a colleague has departed and we (mourn),” he wrote in a tweet. “We will always remember her positive spirit for her family, the service and the community she loved.”

Kline was also a member of Alberta Women in Public Safety, a support and advocacy group for women in policing and related fields.

Edmonton police did not provide a cause of death on Wednesday.

News of Kline’s passing comes less than a week after the slayings of Const. Travis Jordan and Const. Brett Ryan, who were shot to death while responding to a family dispute in a central Edmonton apartment complex March 16. The two were killed by a 16-year-old assailant who later turned the gun on himself.

A regimental funeral for the slain officers is scheduled for Monday.

Knack encouraged residents to thank police officers they encounter in the coming days. “ Members are dealing with significant loss all while still having to continue serving Edmontonians,” he said.

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