Raymond Rikic
Served: 1978-2015
On the night of October 9, 1986, an accident occurred between two cars on a highway near Stoney Creek, Ontario. One of the vehicles, a station wagon, flipped over the top of the other, landed on its roof on the shoulder of the road and burst into flames. Two men present at the scene, seeing the driver trapped inside, had tried unsuccessfully to extinguish the flames with dirt and a blanket and to pry the doors open using a truck bumper, by the time Constable Raymond Rikic of the Hamilton- Wentworth Regional Police arrived. Using a fire extinguisher, he tried to put out the fire beginning in the passenger compartment before attempting to remove the man through the driver's side window, burning his hand severely in the process.
At this time the entire passenger compartment of the vehicle burst into flames. Without a moment’s hesitation, Constable Rikic then dove halfway into the car through the passenger window and, grabbed the severely injured and burned man, pulled him out with the help of the two men and carried the victim a safe distance away.
The Star of Courage recognizes acts of conspicuous courage in circumstances of great peril.
Awarded on April 5, 1988,
by Governor General Jeanne Sauve
Ray worked in all three Patrol Divisions, the Drug Squad, The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), The Criminal Intelligence Service of Ontario (CISO) and Human Resources. Ray was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 1997 and worked in the Major Crime Unit.
In 2001 Ray was promoted to the rank of Staff Sergeant was put in charge of the Forensic Services Branch until his retirement in 2015.
Ray was a volunteer and member of the Hamilton Police Pipes and Drum for many years. He was also the President of the Rotary Club of Hamilton East-Wentworth and a Grant Reviewer for Defence Research and Development Canada (D.R.D.C.). He later became a grant reviewer for the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
1992 Ray is shown here with J.O.Y. Students
at Police Service, Human Resources
Ray stands with his Forensic Services Unit
Greg Hamilton and Ray Rikic with Sylvia Kajura,
a member of the Hamilton Police Services Board
By Dave Bowen, Retired Inspector, Hamilton Police Service