Care of Police Survivors (COPS) Service of Remembrance
The chair of Cambridgeshire Police Federation has described the Care of Police Survivors (COPS) Service of Remembrance as an ‘incredibly powerful occasion’.
Liz Groom said the annual ceremony at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire was an important event for survivors to see the support that is there for them from the policing family.
She said: “The COPS remembrance service is always an incredibly powerful occasion.
“It’s a chance for the policing family to come together to raise awareness of the invaluable work of COPS, but also for us to show our support for those who have lost loved ones in the line of duty.
“I’ve heard families who have lost a loved one in the line of duty describe it as a club that nobody wants to be part of.
“But what the work of COPS and events like the Service of Remembrance do is reassure you that if you ever find yourself in that club there are people who have been through a similar experience and who are there to help and support you.”
The service was held on Sunday after the annual Police Unity Tour (PUT).
Riders from forces across England and Wales set off from their home force areas on Friday and rode first to Drayton Manor in Staffordshire on Saturday to be greeted by the families of fallen officers.
They then rode to the arboretum on Sunday morning led by the Blue Knights, the world’s largest law enforcement motorcycle club, for the last leg of their journey.
The cyclists then joined the families of fallen officers, chief officers, Federation officials, representatives of other policing organisations and civic dignitaries for the Service of Remembrance.
Gill Marshall, COPS president, opened the service. A police widow herself, she recalled her daughters were just two and four when her husband, Alan, died and explained that she knew first-hand the value of COPS, which she called a fantastic charity.
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 died 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 Neil.
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.
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.
After Charlotte’s reading, Gill Marshall read the roll of honour featuring the names of officers who had died since last year’s COPS service. They were:
Sergeant Graham Saville of Nottinghamshire Police who died on 29 August 2023
Sergeant Paul Frear of West Midlands Police who died on 22 September 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 also included British Transport Police Property Officer Mark Birch who died on 12 October 2020.
A minute’s silence followed and then 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.
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.
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 service included music from the West Midlands Police Brass Band and, for the first time, vocal performances by Superintendent Sam Batey, a band member.
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.