Paying tribute to fallen officers this National Police Remembrance Day
Editor’s note: The livestream of this afternoon’s dusk ceremony is available via Vimeo.
The policing community across the country today remembers the brave men and women who have lost their lives protecting their communities in the line of duty.
This year, Constables Rachel McCrow, Matthew Arnold and Anthony Woods will be remembered with touchstones added to the National Police Memorial Wall, joining 823 others whom have also tragically lost their lives.
Queensland Police Service Constables Rachel McCrow and Constable Matthew Arnold were killed in December 2022 when responding to a missing person inquiry, and Western Australia Police Force Constable Anthony Woods was killed in June this year as a result of injuries he sustained when responding to an incident.
Each touchstone, which includes the rank, date of death and place of death of the fallen, were blessed at a dawn service at Queanbeyan Police Station. The touchstones are then escorted to the memorial by motorcade where they will be installed on the wall.
AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw said National Police Remembrance Day was an opportunity for police officers and the community to pause and reflect on the sacrifices made in the line of duty.
“Today is a time to pay tribute to Constables McCrow, Arnold and Woods and, their commitment, bravery and dedication. Today is a time to honour their lives and grieve with their loved ones,” Commissioner Kershaw said.
“We always pray for the National Police Memorial Wall to stay untouched – for it to remain a monument of the past so our grief can be contained.
“We dread having one more name etched into the Wall because one more name is one too many.
“To add three names today - Matthew Arnold, Rachel McCrow and Anthony Woods – is harrowing.
“Each touchstone represents a beloved mother, father, husband or wife, brother or sister, son or daughter who is no longer with us. All days, but especially today, we want to remember the lives that were tragically cut short in dedication to their communities.”
In the lead up to this National Police Remembrance Day, images of the three fallen officers have been projected on to Canberra’s National Carillon in honour of their sacrifice.
This afternoon, police officers from all Australian policing jurisdictions will march from the AFP Headquarters and across the Kings Avenue Bridge to the National Police Memorial in Kings Park, Canberra.
At the conclusion of the evening memorial service, there will be 826 names on the National Police Memorial wall.
Every minute of every day, police men and women around the world work to protect us and we thank them for bravery and sacrifice.
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