More than a year after West Shore RCMP officer Const. Sarah Beckett was tragically killed in an on-duty crash in Langford, the man accused in her death has pleaded guilty in court.

At an arraignment hearing Thursday, Kenneth Jacob Fenton pleaded guilty to impaired driving causing death and dangerous driving causing death in the 2016 crash that killed Beckett.

The 28-year-old man did not respond to a request for comment on the guilty plea as he entered Western Communities Court in Colwood.

Beckett’s family, including her husband, were in court for the arraignment but requested privacy as they struggle with grief.

Supporters like Colwood Mayor Carole Hamilton were also present.

Hamilton, whose son was killed in a car crash 14 years ago, said despite Fenton pleading guilty closure will be elusive for Beckett’s family.

“It just takes a long time,” she said. “Every day is one day forward and you find ways to find strength and carry on.”

The Crown is expected to stay three other charges against Fenton, including flight from police causing death.

“Today’s development is a result of resolution discussions which have been ongoing since an early stage in these proceedings,” said Crown lawyer Dan McLaughlin.

He said Beckett’s family had been apprised of all developments and negotiations throughout the process.

“This is one more step in the process of this particular case to achieving what we hope will be a fair and just resolution,” McLaughlin said.

West Shore RCMP declined to comment, instead releasing a statement on Twitter saying media inquiries regarding Fenton's plea should be directed to Crown.

Outside of the courtroom Beckett’s supervisor, a Staff-Sgt. with West Shore RCMP, told CTV News on his own behalf that he thinks a higher range of sentencing should apply to the case because she was killed while in the line of duty, protecting the public.

A sentencing date will be set on June 6, the court said Thursday.

According to Crown, the maximum sentence for impaired driving causing death is life in prison, while dangerous driving causing death carries a maximum penalty of 14 years.

McLaughlin said Fenton’s guilty plea is a factor that will likely be considered in sentencing.

Beckett, a 32-year-old wife and mother of two, was killed when Fenton’s truck slammed into her police cruiser in the intersection of Peatt Road and Goldstream Avenue in Langford on April 5, 2016.

Fenton’s hearing had been pushed back a number of times, prompting Beckett’s husband to write a statement in April that the family had been unfairly victimized by the lengthy delays.