Your views are needed to shape ‘digital police memorial’

19 October 2022

A service was held at the UK Police Memorial in the summer to mark a year since it was unveiled.

Suffolk Police Federation is backing an appeal by the Police Arboretum Memorial Trust to help it create an online memorial for fallen officers.

The trust, which is headed by the former Chief Constable Martin Hewitt, created the new UK Police Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire that was dedicated in July 2021 in the presence of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales).

Now, as part of the next stage of its work it aims to create a digital memorial to take the memorial to a national and international audience, and is seeking the feedback of Suffolk officers to help shape the website.

Federation chair Darren Harris said: “When a police officer loses their life in the line of duty and often while protecting the public, it is devastating for their loved ones and the whole police family. It is our duty to ensure those colleagues are never forgotten and that’s why we should all support this project.

“One easy way to help get it off the ground is by providing feedback to help shape the website. So, I am urging colleagues to take a few minutes to complete the Trust’s survey and encourage others to do the same.”

The digital memorial is being developed by the trust in partnership with the Police Roll of Honour and will carry an ‘on this day’ tribute which highlights the names of officers who died on a particular day and allow users to search for an officer by name, force, date of death and rank.

Enhanced tributes will be developed that tell the personal stories of those behind the badge including interviews with family, friends and colleagues, access to news archives and personal photographs.

Chair of trustees Mr Hewitt said: “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.

“However, we need the help of the service, and the public to help us develop the next stage. We want to hear from you about what you would like to see on the digital memorial and how you and visitors may wish to use it.”

Complete the online survey.