Slain Ottawa police officer Const. Eric Czapnik was remembered last night by family, friends, colleagues, politicians and total strangers at a special mass at St. Hyacinth Parish in Ottawa Monday night.

Czapnik regularly attended the Polish church with his family.

Meantime, Ottawa police are preparing for the arrival of thousands of police officers from across Canada and the United States who are expected to attend a funeral service for Czapnik at the Ottawa Civic Centre at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday.

The exact number of officers who plan to attend the ceremony from other jurisdictions remains unknown. Although the funeral is a public event, police expect there will be limited seating for the public.

CTV Ottawa will broadcast the service live.

"We expect it to be a rather big service," said Steve Boucher, president of the Ottawa Police Association.

Czapnik, 51, was killed while taking notes in his police cruiser outside the Civic Campus of the Ottawa Hospital on Dec. 29. He was responding to an unrelated call, which was considered low-risk.

A suspended RCMP officer with a history of mental health problems is charged with first-degree murder in his death. Const. Kevin Gregson, 43, is under suicide watch and has been remanded in protective custody until Jan. 7.

Meantime, Czapnik's colleagues continue to struggle with the circumstances of his death.

Although grief counsellors and peer support groups are available, Boucher says it's up to members of the force to ask for help.

"Things like this are very tricky because you want to balance those officers' grieving processes," Boucher told CTV Ottawa on Monday.

"You don't want to necessarily impose it upon them, but make sure they know it's there for you, and really they have to come to you if they want it."

Czapnik leaves behind three children. He immigrated to Canada from Poland in 1990 and worked in retail for 16 years. In 2007, he followed in his father's footsteps and became a police officer.

Visitations for Czapnik will be held at Beechwood Cemetery on Tuesday and Wednesday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Donations to a trust fund for his children can be made at all Scotiabank branches in Canada to account #400060117811.

In lieu of flowers, Czapnik's family has requested donations be made to the Ontario Police Memorial Foundation (OPMF Charity # 868 395575 RR0001).