PC Dan Sibun at National Police Memorial Day 2024

3 October 2024

A Sussex Police officer whose great-great-grandfather, also an officer, was killed 108 years ago, has spoken about the honour of being a flag bearer at National Police Memorial Day.  
PC Dan Sibun took on the role at the NPMD ceremony in Glasgow on Sunday 29 September, where over 1,000 people gathered to remember the lives of more than 5,000 police officers who have fallen in service over the past 180 years.
The Chief Constable of Sussex Police had asked Dan to be a flag bearer while at an awards ceremony last year, where the officer was runner up for police officer of the year award.  
Dan said: “The Chief Constable didn’t know this when she nominated me to be a flag bearer, but my great-great-grandfather George Henry Apps was a Detective Sergeant with Kent Constabulary and he died after being run over on duty in 1916. So the memorial day felt even more personal for me. I felt very lucky to have been there.”
On the day, Dan joined flag bearers from over 40 other forces from around the UK to march from George Square to the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, where they formed a guard of honour for VIPs entering the ceremony.
He said: “It was the first time I’d attended National Police Memorial Day, and it was an amazing day. It’s such an important event, because of the commitment that thousands of officers give, day in, day out, often going to quite risky jobs. It’s great that there’s this recognition of the sacrifice of officers who have died on duty.”