Dyfed Powys officers remembered at COPS service

4 August 2025

The daughter of one of four Dyfed Powys Police officers who died after a car accident 35 years ago detailed the impact his death had on her and her family in an emotional reading at the annual Care of Police Survivors (COPS) Service of Remembrance held at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire on Sunday.

Laurie Murphy was 16 when her father, DC Roger Meyrick, died in a head-on car crash with a lorry while he was on surveillance training on 18 October 1990. He was 37.

She detailed how she waited in a bedroom with her sister, 13, and brother, 9, as police colleagues told her mum that he had died. She remembers hearing her scream and then the sound of her collapsing.

In a very moving speech, Laurie told how the family’s world fell apart.

Speech

“He was our dad and we loved him so much,” she said.

Laurie explained her sadness that her Dad had missed out on so much – seeing her get married, having three children and a grandson and following her brother’s journey to being an Iron Man, for example.

She admitted that she had found it difficult when her husband had joined Dyfed Powys Police as a police officer – he has now retired - but that ultimately that had led to her finding out about COPS, the charity dedicated to helping the families of fallen officers rebuild their lives, and getting involved three years ago when she attended her first COPS survivors’ weekend.

The three other Dyfed Powys Police officers who also died due to the accident in which Roger was killed were DCs Leonid Evans, 41, and Nicholas Tabraham, 29, who died on the same day, while Paul Hetherington, who was 35, died 10 days later.

Bravery

Delme Rees, chair of Dyfed Powys Police Federation, praised Laurie for her bravery in addressing the congregation and telling her personal story of loss, grief and survival.

“It must have taken incredible strength of mind to stand in front of everyone and share the heart-breaking details of losing her father, the effect that loss had on her and her family and also her struggles to come to terms with the deep grief she experienced,” said Delme.

“But I am sure there were many survivors in the congregation who could fully empathise with Laurie’s experience, since so many others there were the families of fallen officers.

“Laurie epitomises the way in which COPS uses peer support to help these families since she also mentioned in her reading that she was in touch with Tamsin Earp, whose husband, Dyfed Powys Inspector Gareth Earp, died two years ago.”

Two other police survivors also gave readings during the service.

Fiona Deans, sister of PC Peter Deans, 25, of Avon and Somerset Police, told of the effect it had on her when her brother died with colleague PC Jonathan Stapley on 29 December 1984 when they were in a road accident during a police chase.

Support

She said it could be ‘just as hard, just as tough’ to lose an officer when you were a sibling, and welcomed the support of the COPS siblings group and the charity generally.

“It’s a huge comfort to know that Peter is remembered, and I am remembered,” Fiona said.

The third family member to speak was Susan Gibson, the daughter of Sergeant Edward Thomson of Strathclyde Police. He was 41 when he died on 13 January 1982 after a road accident. Susan, who was 21 at the time, had been a nurse at the time and remembered going to the hospital to see him after the accident and expecting him to survive. But sadly he died from catastrophic injuries to his chest.

Devastated by his loss, she said: “I just felt like a big part of me had gone too.”

Susan explained that she had found a lot of comfort and support from COPS, and highlighted the fact the charity gave her access to the Spectrum counselling service.

At the start of the service, Gill Marshall, whose police officer husband died in 2006, welcomed the congregation, including chief officers, Federation representatives, policing stakeholders and those who had completed the Police Unity Tour, to the service which featured music from the West Midlands Police Brass Band and its vocalist Superintendent Sam Batey who sang two songs.

Roll of honour

Gill also read out this year’s roll of honour:

Acting Sergeant Reece Buckenham of Hertfordshire Constabulary who died on 29 June 2024;

DC Karen Smith of Humberside Police who died on 18 December 2024;

PC Rosie Prior of North Yorkshire Police who died on 11 January 2025;

PC Michael Bruce of the Metropolitan Police who died on 14 June 2025, and

PC Ian Minnett of Gloucestershire Constabulary who died on 21 June 2025.

A minute’s silence was then observed.

Wreaths were laid by for the Office of the Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire, the High Sheriff of Staffordshire, the Home Office, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services, the National Police Chiefs’ Council, the College of Policing, the Blue Knights, the Police Unity Tour and COPS.

West Yorkshire Chief Constable John Robins, a COPS trustee, closed the service.

Loss

He said: “We all know COPS was survivor initiated and survivor led, it will also always be survivor focussed.”

Chief Constable Robins also thanked everyone involved in the remembrance service, paying tribute to families who he said had faced ‘unimaginable loss’ but stood united and proud in memory of their loved ones.

After the service, families and other guests made their way to The Beat, an avenue of trees dedicated to individual forces and officers to lay wreaths and single red roses.

Earlier in the day, crowds gathered at the arboretum to welcome the arrival of cyclists from forces across England and Wales who had undertaken the Police Unity Tour (PUT), a sponsored ride from their home forces to the service, aimed at raising awareness of fallen officers and raising funds for the COPS charity.

 

Dyfed Powys riders ready for action.

 

The 530 PUT riders to take part this year were joined as they rode in for the service by 100 members of the Blue Knights, the law enforcement motorcycle club and police motorcyclists from the fleets of several forces.

Six riders made up the Dyfed Powys team and joined the Welsh Chapter of the PUT while Delme travelled with the welfare van support team for a couple of days too.

The Force team were led by Sergeant Sarah Evans who rode for Roger Meyrick and handed over a wristband inscribed with his name she had worn throughout the PUT wristband to his wife, Frances, and their family

A new member of the Force’s PUT entry this year was Temporary Chief Constable Ifan Charles while former Deputy Chief Constable Steve Cockwell took part for the eighth time.

You can donate to the Dyfed Powys PUT riders by visiting their JustGiving page.