There was emotion as police officers who have died on duty were remembered by their family and friends at the Care of Police Survivors (COPS) Annual Service of Remembrance.
Surviving family members and serving police officers gathered at the National Memorial Arboretum on Sunday 3 August to pay their respects to officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
More than 1,000 people attended the service in Staffordshire – where the rain thankfully held off.
Events took place all weekend for surviving family members.
The Scottish Police Federation’s Assistant to the General Secretary (People and Equality), Emma-Louise Richardson, described the weekend as moving and heartwarming.
She explained: “I’ve been involved in the event over the weekend and engaging with the survivors. There have been lots of heartbreaking but heartwarming stories and it’s really important to show our support for COPS and the importance that it is to help people rebuild their lives.
“It is so moving and I think the personal stories, that life experience, is just raw and emotional and really interesting because the timeline doesn’t change grief, so it’s actually really emotive. I don’t think there were many dry eyes in the audience certainly.
“I think weekends like this demonstrate the human aspect that is always or often forgotten in policing, and I think to show that actually it’s not only the police officer that’s in the service, it’s everybody else within that family unit that’s affected by policing and then thereafter police loss.”
During the one-hour service on Sunday, survivors recalled their loss and how the charity had helped them in their time of need.
Two daughters of fallen police officers and a sister of a colleague who died on duty spoke with emotion and humour recalling their loved one.
The Roll of Honour for the police officers who have died on duty during the past 12 months was read out.
Those remembered this year were Acting Sgt Reece Buckenham, of Hertfordshire Police; DC Karen Smith, of Humberside Police; PC Rosie Prior, of North Yorkshire Police; PC Michael Bruce, of the Metropolitan Police; and PC Ian Minett, of Gloucestershire Constabulary.
The Police Unity Tour arrived before the Service of Remembrance – more than 500 cyclists who had ridden from across the country to the Arboretum in memory of fallen officers.
The cyclists raise money for the COPS charity – and this year raised in excess of £230,000.
Also attending were the Blue Knights motorcyclists.