On the anniversary of the murder of a Windsor police officer, the province paid tribute to officers lost in the line of duty.

Const. John Atkinson was shot and killed in the line of duty on this day in 2006.

Nikkolas Brennan was given a maximum sentence in the murder of Atkinson.

The 37-year-old officer was shot in the face outside a Mac’s Milk near Pillette Road and Seminole Street.

Atkinson's wife Shelley was in Toronto for the annual Ontario Police Memorial Ceremony of Remembrance.

Premier Doug Ford delivered an address to officers and their families at the 20th annual ceremony.

"Today, we pay tribute to 266 heroic police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. I have the greatest respect for Ontario's finest. And I am heartbroken for the lives lost while protecting our communities and working to keep Ontario safe,” Ford said.

"We owe a debt to these officers that we can never repay. But we vow to do everything we can to support their colleagues and friends who continue on, every day. Your continued service is truly a tribute to the fallen.”