Date set for memorial service

17 January 2019

This year’s National Police Memorial Day service will be held in Glasgow and Federation members are invited to attend.

The service will take place in the city’s Royal Concert Hall on Sunday 29 September. It aims to remember police officers who have been killed or died in the line of duty; to demonstrate to relatives, friends and colleagues of fallen officers that their sacrifice is not forgotten; and to recognise the dedication to duty and courage displayed by police officers.

“The memorial day is one of the key events in the policing year,” says Tony Wetton, chair of Derbyshire Police Federation, “It is a moving service and I would encourage all officers to attend at least once during their service. It brings home to you that police officers hold a unique place in society, putting their lives on the line to protect their communities and sadly sometimes paying the ultimate price for doing so.”

The service is open to all who wish to attend and registration is now open.

The day was founded in 2000 with the first service at St Paul’s Cathedral in London in 2004. Glasgow last hosted the National Police Memorial Day service in 2011.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid joined families, friends, colleagues, senior officers and Government officials at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast for last year’s service.

Nearly 2,000 guests were welcomed by a guard of honour formed by representatives from each force in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland as well as uniformed police officers from overseas forces.

The Reverend Canon David Wilbraham, National Police Chaplain, led the act of remembrance, during which Sid Mackay, chair of the Police Roll of Honour, laid a wreath to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War and in memory of the police officers called to service, who lost their lives.