Prince of Wales hails ‘sacrifice’ of police at dedication of national memorial

Standing in the shadow of the new UK Police Memorial, Prince Charles expressed thanks on behalf of the country to the men and women who have put themselves in harm’s way to protect the nation.

He unveiled a plaque at the monument, which commemorates almost 5,000 police officers and staff who have died on duty – 1,500 from acts of violence – since half-brothers Henry and John Fielding established the Bow Street Runners in 1749.

Families of police officers who have been killed on duty were among the invited guests, as was Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Home Secretary Priti Patel, Metropolitan Police Service Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick, chief constables from forces across the country, and representatives from policing charities.

Prince Charles told the invited guests during the open-air ceremony: “To those of you with personal experience of the sudden, unexpected and tragic loss of someone in the police service, whether you are here today, viewing from home, or attending one of the many services within your constabularies, I can only offer the assurance of my most heartfelt thoughts and prayers.

“On behalf of the nation, I would particularly like to express my profound gratitude for the valour and sacrifice of those who have laid down their lives to keep us safe, to remember their families who mourn, and to recognise those who continue to serve in order to safeguard our freedoms.

“Whilst our expressions of appreciation will always be hopelessly inadequate and, unfortunately, make the anguish no easier to bear, I do pray that this memorial will not only provide a hallowed place for us all to pay tribute to each of them, but also the reassurance that those who have given their lives so selflessly will leave a lasting legacy and will never be forgotten.”

A minute’s silence was held to remember all those from the police service who have died in the line of duty and Prince Charles then led a wreath-laying ceremony, followed by the Prime Minister and Home Secretary.

In a pre-recorded video message, the Prime Minister said: “It takes a very special kind of person to be a police officer. When you pull that uniform, each day, you have little idea of what’s going to be asked of you, what dangers, you might face.

“All you know for sure is that anything could happen, and that there’s a chance, however small that you won’t be going home to your loved ones at the end of your shift. Yet every day, you’d go out and serve the public all the same.”

He added: “No words can adequately do justice to the debt we as a nation owe your fallen colleagues, but I trust that this magnificent memorial in pride of place at the National Arboretum demonstrates the scale of our gratitude for their service, and that it will stand for centuries as a fitting tribute to the courage and sacrifice of the men and women who together form the finest police force in the world.”

The Police Arboretum Memorial Trust was established in March 2014 to raise funds to pay for the construction of a new UK Police Memorial at the Arboretum. After a six- year fundraising campaign, ground-breaking for the Memorial took place in June 2020, carried out by the fathers of Police Constables Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes killed in Manchester in 2012.

It was designed by Walter Jack and includes two low screens bearing the names of 2,000 police officers and staff, as well as spaces for reflection.

The site consists of a 25m diameter raised embankment, marked by a simple circle of field maple trees. In the area created within this bund, is a 12m-high brass structure (the portal), that sits on a leaf-shaped stage. The portal represents the threshold to the dangerous places where the police must go, but sadly, from which some will never return.

The brass structure has a number of leaf-shaped apertures cut from it representing service, sacrifice and particularly lives lost: absence. This imagery gives the impression of falling leaves representing fallen police officers and staff. The brass will weather while the gilt edges remain bright. When lit by sunlight passing through the Memorial, the reflection of the cut-outs evokes a gilded absence.

Gillian Wombwell, whose detective husband David was one of three officers shot dead in West London by Harry Roberts and his accomplices in the summer of 1966, had a preview of the towering memorial.

She said: “It is just magnificent and epitomises what the police stand for. It’s big and strong with no frills or trimmings. And when the sunlight shines through the leaf holes, it throws patterns on the ground that look like teardrops which is very apt.”

The Police Arboretum Memorial Trust said fundraising will continue to provide digital memorial and education facilities for students.

Sir Hugh Orde, chair of Trustees, said: “This will be a historic day for our police service. After seven years of fundraising and 12 months of construction, we can finally dedicate this beautiful and iconic memorial that pays tribute to the courage and sacrifice of all those police officers and staff who have paid the ultimate price.

“The 12m-tall brass memorial, with its leaf shaped apertures representing courage, sacrifice and lives lost, is set within a beautifully landscaped area, and has been designed for ceremony, tribute and personal acts of reflection.

“As a nation, we owe all those who have laid down their lives to keep us safe and protect us from harm a huge debt of gratitude. This memorial will ensure that the memory of those officers and staff who have died lives on in perpetuity.”

Sir Hugh added: “This magnificent tribute to fallen police officers and staff has only been made possible thanks to the considerable generosity of our supporters, donors and benefactors. This is a place that will not only honour the courage and sacrifice of the men and women from our police service, but it will become a fitting tribute to honour all those who continue to serve.”

Bernie O’Reilly, interim College of Policing chief executive officer, said: “The new UK Police Memorial unveiled today is a fitting tribute which honours the memories of our fallen colleagues who made the ultimate sacrifice to keep the public safe.

“After such a difficult year for so many, when the pressures on officers and staff have been greater than ever, it is so important that the policing family can come together to commemorate their colleagues, whose selfless dedication will never be forgotten.

“I would like to commend the efforts of everyone whose fundraising work has made the creation of the official police memorial possible. I know it will bring comfort to the families, friends and colleagues of those who gave their lives in the line of duty to have a place where they can gather to remember their loved ones.”