Service of Remembrance rounds off 2025 Police Unity Tour

5 August 2025

Team Northamptonshire ended the 2025 Police Unity Tour (PUT) by remembering officers who have lost their lives on duty at a touching Care of Police Survivors (COPS) Service of Remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum yesterday (Sunday 3 August).

The Northamptonshire chapter of the PUT had reached the arboretum, near Alrewas, Staffordshire, after a 200-mile bike ride which began two days earlier on Friday 1 August from Force Headquarters.

The group – made up of both cyclists and a support crew – was at its largest since it became an independent, dedicated chapter at the event, which was first brought to the UK in 2013.

Among the fallen officers honoured throughout the weekend were Northamptonshire Police’s PC Alex Prentice, Sergeant Paul Keany and retired officer and serving police staff member Ashley Moore, as well as well as long-time focus of the chapter, PC Andrew Harper of Thames Valley Police.

 

 

The PUT is also a time celebrate the work of COPS, the charity dedicated to supporting the families of fallen officers and helping them rebuild their shattered lives.

Speaking after the conclusion of the weekend, Northamptonshire Police Federation chair Sam Dobbs said: “When the PUT comes around every summer, you know it is going to be an emotional few days ahead for every participant.

“After another one has been and gone, I hope everyone involved was able to create more special memories in honour of our fallen colleagues, who we will never forget. We are proud to keep these people in our hearts because of the contribution they have made to the service and the tragedy of losing them as police family members far too early.

Support

“Beyond remembering them, another way to do this is by raising money and awareness for COPS. It is a charity which provides exceptional service to the families of these officers and must always retain our backing and support.

“For this event to successfully combine both of these purposes once again is something we should all be proud of in policing.”

Federation member PC Baz Waples made his PUT debut on this year’s ride and shared his thoughts on an occasion he described as ‘rewarding in many different ways’.

“I’d heard about the Unity Tour before and considered joining, and I thought this year I would finally get involved with the chapter,” Baz said.

“From the Friday morning onwards, I knew I’d made the right decision – the cycling was hard, but the camaraderie was amazing to be part of and it got me through. The chapter is such a well-oiled unit, and is clearly going from strength to strength each year.

“As for the service, everything became real there. It was intense on the emotions, because why you are doing it all really hits home.

Honoured

“I was honoured to ride for PC Brian Darnell, an Oxfordshire Constabulary officer who died in 1964. I also spent time with Phil, Andrew Harper’s stepfather, ahead of the PUT and he told me all about the work of COPS.

“It’s a position you hope you’ll never leave your family in, but if the worst happens to you as a police officer, COPS offers support like nothing else – and I think that deserves to be recognised.”

At the service, COPS national president Gill Marshall delivered a roll of honour consisting of officers who have died on duty in the past year:

• 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 Minett of Gloucestershire Constabulary who died on 21 June 2025.

This was followed by a minute’s silence.

Earlier in the day, Gill had welcomed chief officers, Federation representatives, policing stakeholders and PUT cyclists and support teams to the service, which featured music from the West Midlands Police Brass Band and its vocalist Superintendent Sam Batey, who sang two songs.

Having lost her own police officer husband in 2006, Gill reassured the families of fallen officers at the service that their sacrifice is never forgotten despite the day-to-day challenges of policing.

Three family members who had lost a police officer also gave their own readings.

 

 

Laurie Murphy talked about the impact the death of her father – Dyfed Powys DC Roger Meyrick – in 1990 had on her. She was 16 at the time and had a sister who was 13 and a brother who was 9.

Roger was 37 when he died in a head-on car crash with a lorry while he was on surveillance training. Tragically, three other Dyfed Powys Police officers also died as a result of the accident. DCs Leonid Evans, 41, and Nicholas Tabraham, 29, died on the same day while Paul Hetherington, who was 35, died 10 days later.

In a very moving speech, Laurie recalled the day when officers came to the family home to tell them of her father’s death and told how the family’s world fell apart.

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

Laurie explained the impact of realising 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.

She admitted that she had found it difficult when her husband had joined Dyfed Powys Police as a police officer, but that ultimately that had led to her finding out about COPS and getting involved three years ago.

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.

Charity

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, 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.

During the service, 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.

Tribute

He said: “We all know COPS was survivor initiated and survivor led, and 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 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.

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.

Next year’s PUT will be held across the weekend of Friday 7 August, with COPS’ Annual Service of Remembrance to take place at the National Memorial Arboretum on Sunday 9 August.