Plans underway for National Police Memorial Day service

8 April 2025

Plans are well underway for this year’s National Police Memorial Day.

This year’s service will be held at Coventry Cathedral on Sunday 28 September, starting at 2pm.

“The memorial day service gives us all a chance to remember those colleagues who have been killed or died on duty, in turn recognising police officers’ dedication to duty and courage,” says Delme Rees, chair of Dyfed Powys Police Federation.

“But it also gives the police service as a while the opportunity to demonstrate to the families, friends and colleagues of fallen officers that their sacrifice is never forgotten.

“As such, it is an incredibly important – if not the most important - date in the policing diary.”

The National Police Memorial Day service rotates round each of the four countries in the United Kingdom and is held on the closest Sunday to 29 September which is St Michael’s Day. St Michael is the patron saint of policing.

Memorial Day

The memorial day was founded by Inspector Joe Holness QPM OBE following the brutal killing of his Kent Police colleague PC Jon Odell in Margate in December 2000.

The first service was held in St Paul’s Cathedral in London on Sunday 3 October 2004. In 2021 Lincoln hosted the memorial day service but this is the first time it has been staged in Coventry.

Historic police vehicles will be displayed outside the cathedral, along with other historic police memorabilia. Force standards will be on display and there will be music from the West Midlands Police Band.

Delme is encouraging officers to consider attending the service: “The service is very moving and serves as a reminder of the unique place police officers have in society. I would urge all officers to try to attend at least one memorial day service during their careers,” says Delme.

Register now to attend this year’s service.

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