West Midlands sergeant is honoured at annual COPS service
29 July 2024
A West Midlands Police sergeant who died last September was among the fallen officers featured on the roll of honour at the annual Care of Police Survivors (COPS) Service of Remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire on Sunday.
Sergeant Paul Frear 45, was walking to Smethwick Police Station on 21 September when he was involved in a collision with a car. Paul was a regular assessor of new recruits and was on a rest day but supporting the Force as part of its recruitment drive at the time.
Paul led the Low Hill, Bushbury and Fallings Park neighbourhood team having served the Force for 21 years.
Paul Frear.
“I remember Paul as a lovely and supportive officer with a great sense of humour,” says Rich Cooke, chair of West Midlands Police Federation, who represented the branch at the service.
“The COPS service is always moving, but it clearly had added poignancy this year since we had lost one of our own in the 12 months since last year’s event.
“I was proud to represent the Federation, and its members, at the service which I think is one of the most important dates in the policing year.
“When a police officer dies in the line of duty, it affects the whole Force and the wider policing community. By coming together at these memorial events, we honour the memory of these officers and the service they gave to the Force and their communities. But we also show their families that the policing family does not forget fallen officers and their families.
“COPS is a really important lifeline for those families who are trying to rebuild their lives after the tragic loss of a police officer. Its community of families who have experienced that same loss can offer immeasurable help and support.”
Roll of honour
Other officers listed in the roll of honour, which was read by COPS president Gill Marshall, were:
Sergeant Graham Saville of Nottinghamshire Police who died on 29 August 2023
PC Jack Cummings of West Yorkshire Police who died on 19 May 2024, and
Acting Sergeant Reece Buckenham of Hertfordshire Constabulary who died on 29 June 2024.
The roll of honour, which was followed by a minute’s silence, also included British Transport Police Property Officer Mark Birch who died on 12 October 2020.
Gill had earlier welcomed members of the congregation to the service which featured music from the West Midlands Police Brass Band and its vocalist Superintendent Sam Batey.
A police widow herself, Gill recalled her daughters were just two and four when her husband, Alan, died and explained that she knew first-hand the value of COPS.
Sarah Doyle, whose husband, Merseyside PC Neil Doyle, died 10 years ago, recalled how the couple had only been married a short time when he lost his life after being assaulted while off duty. She said she immediately knew life would never be the same again, admitting that part of her heart had died with him.
While it had taken her a few years to get involved with COPS, she spoke movingly of how the friendship of other police widows had helped her and urged police survivors to seek the charity’s support.
“You will never look back. They help you to rebuild your shattered life,” she said.
Friday would have been the couple’s 10th wedding anniversary and Sarah had decided to mark the poignant date by joining the PUT.
Grateful
Charlotte Kellaway, daughter of DI Ian Kellaway who died of Covid in April 2020 having contracted the virus while on duty, shared her story of grieving for her father and also praised the way in which COPS had helped.
The final reading was by Greg Briggs, brother of Merseyside PC Paul Briggs, who died in 2017. He talked about his brother’s life of service, first to the Army and then to policing and welcomed the unwavering dedication of COPS to look after police survivors, saying he would be forever grateful to the charity.
During the service wreaths were laid by for the Office of the Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire, the High Sheriff’s Office, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services, the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, the National Police Chiefs’ Council, the College of Policing, the Blue Knights, the Police Unity Tour, the National Memorial Arboretum and COPS.
Sir Peter Fahy, chair of COPS, closed the service, acknowledging that every year police officers will lose their lives on duty.
“COPS is there to support their families, not just in the immediate aftermath but in the years and years ahead,” said Sir Peter.
The West Midlands tree at The Beat.
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 a sponsored ride from their home forces to the service.
Setting off on Friday morning, the West Midlands Chapter took a 200-mile route to Drayton Manor near Tamworth, Staffordshire on Saturday where they were greeted by the families of fallen officers.
The chapter is made up of officers from the West Midlands, West Mercia, Warwickshire and Staffordshire Forces with all their respective Federation branches providing sponsorship to cover the riders’ costs.
Each rider wore an engraved wristband dedicated to a fallen officer which, where possible, was presented to the officers’ family at the end of the ride.
