Police and other emergency services paused on Friday to remember officers killed in the line of duty.
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As part of a national Police Remembrance Day, which is held annually, a service was held for the New England Command at Armidale’s Uniting Church on Friday morning.
Superintendent Fred Trench, Commander of the New England Local Area Command spoke at the service.
“Police officers share a special bond, the joys and triumphs of fighting crime are celebrated by all officers, equally though, when one police officer is hurt all police officers feel that hurt,” Superintendent Trench said.
“And when an officer is killed, something dies within us all,” he said, adding that risk was a constant companion in the job.
“Law enforcement is not just another job, it takes an extraordinary person to be a good police officer, it is a calling that involves an officers entire family and it deserves the respect of every person who enjoys the peace, safety and freedoms that our police provide.
“It is easy to take those freedoms for granted, to forget those, including our police officers, who put their lives on the line everyday to serve them.”
Following the service, he told Fairfax Media that the remembrance day was an important one for police.
It has been held on September 29 each year, since the police commissioners of each state got together in 1989 to organise a national remembrance day.
“It’s time for us to sit back and reflect on those that have lost their lives serving the community,” Superintendent Trench said.
Names were read at the service of officers killed in the last year, along with police officers who have been killed in the past who have now been added to the role following a change in criteria for NSW officers.
Three officers were mentioned who were killed in the New England region over the years – two in Inverell in 1945 and 1995, and an officer at Ashford in 1991.
The New England service was conducted by Police Chaplain, Rev Will Pearson and was attended by newly-elected Armidale mayor Simon Murray, Tenterfield mayor Peter Petty and Glen Innes deputy mayor Carol Sparks.