Digital memorial: officers urged to complete online survey

19 October 2022

Gwent Federation branch chair Matthew Candy has backed plans for a digital memorial website for police officers who are killed in the line of duty.

The Police Arboretum Memorial Trust envisages the site as an online companion to the UK Police Memorial which it helped establish at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire last year.

It would record the names of fallen officers and carry tributes and personal stories, including interviews with family, friends, and colleagues, as well as news archives and personal photographs.

Matthew said: “This is a brilliant initiative which will keep alive the memory of our heroic colleagues who sadly and tragically made the ultimate sacrifice. It is vitally important that their sacrifice is never forgotten.

“I am delighted that the website will record tributes and memories as this is so important for the loved ones left behind as part of the grieving process. This initiative has my full support and I hope colleagues will get behind it.”

The trust has launched a month-long consultation to find out the views of the public and police officers about what how they want a digital memorial to evolve.

Matthew is appealing to Gwent Police Federation members to take part in the online survey and help shape the website.

Martin Hewitt, chair of the Police Arboretum Memorial Trustees, added: “We are at a crossroads as we embark on the next phase of this exciting project and our development of the digital memorial. Your views really do count as we create a fitting online tribute to our police service, and I would encourage everyone to complete the online survey.

“Working with our partner, the Police Roll of Honour Trust, the digital memorial will give visitors access to the records of almost 5,000 police officers who have dedicated their lives to policing, from as far back as the Bow Street Runners in 1749.”