Police service gathers to remember fallen colleagues

POLICE officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice were honoured at the Care of Police Survivors 2017 Service of Remembrance.

Family, friends and colleagues gathered at the National Memorial Arboretum in July to pay respects to more than 4,000 officers who have died on duty. The service was attended by more than 800 people.

Events took place all weekend for surviving family members.

The service heard from relatives who had lost police officers on duty over the past 50 years.

The Roll of Honour for the seven police officers who have died on duty during the past 12 months was read out by COPS President Denis Gunn.

Those remembered this year were DC Joe Mabuto and PC Gareth Browning, both of Thames Valley Police; Insp Mark Estall, of Essex Police; PC Paul Briggs, of Merseyside Police; PC Ben Devonshire, of Cambridgeshire Constabulary; PC Austin Jackson, of Leicestershire Police; and PC Keith Palmer, of the Metropolitan Police.

A minute’s silence was held to remember all police officers who have died on duty.

Chief officers from all UK forces, the Home Office and staff associations were among those who took time to pay their respects and lay wreaths.

The West Midlands Police band provided accompanying music.

Before the service, The Blue Knights motorcyclists arrived in procession to pay their respects. They were also joined by some 200 members of the UK Police Unity Tour who had cycled up in convoy from across the UK.

The cyclists had raised an amazing £100,000 for the charity.