Mansfield pays tribute to fallen officers

Mansfield’s deep connection to police history was at the heart of local National Police Remembrance Day commemorations last week. Community members, serving police, families and local leaders gathered outside Mansfield Police Station on 29 September to honour officers who lost their lives in the line of duty, including two Victoria Police members killed at Porepunkah last year. Observed annually on 29 September, National Police Remembrance Day honours police officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty and remembers those lost over the previous 12 months while serving their communities. In Victoria, people gathered to honour the 178 officers who have lost their lives since the force was established in 1853, with all names etched into the honour wall at the Victoria Police Memorial so none will be forgotten. Victoria Police and members of the community joined together to pay their respects, with a major remembrance service at the Victoria Police Memorial in Melbourne, along with additional services in 12 regional towns across the state. A remembrance service was held outside Mansfield Police Station, led by Acting Inspector Steve Carden, welcoming local community members, friends, family and serving police personnel to honour those officers lost. Local government representatives, Member for Eildon Cindy McLeish MP and mayor, Cr Steve Rabie, attended and paid their respects with speeches, both focusing on Mansfield’s history of honouring the service of police officers. Mayor Rabie said Mansfield had a strong connection to the day of remembrance through the local history of the three policemen killed by the Kelly Gang in 1878, who are immortalised in the town centre monument. “Mansfield has a powerful connection to what this day represents,” Mayor Rabie said. “Generations have passed and Mansfield has changed enormously, but those three names remain part of our town and our history.” Two recent names honoured on the day were Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart, who were murdered in Porepunkah in August last year while executing a search warrant. Mayor Rabie said their deaths were felt by many in the North East and credited the efforts of police in keeping the community safe. “It was felt throughout the North East, across Victoria Police and throughout our state,” Mayor Rabie said. “We know from our own history how the loss of police officers can affect not only their families and colleagues, but an entire regional community. “On behalf of Mansfield Shire Council and the Mansfield community, I thank our police officers for their courage, professionalism and service.” Names of officers who had died in the line of duty over the previous 12 months were read in a roll of honour by Leading Senior Constable Michelle Stevens at the Mansfield service, including names from across Australia and overseas police services. Police chaplain Emmanuel Lykopandis led the service in prayer and a minute’s silence, before Acting Senior Sergeant Mel Walker read the Police Ode in honour of the officers being remembered. The service concluded with Mansfield Secondary College student Alana Beattie singing the national anthem. Following the service, attendees and current and former police members were escorted to the police monument, where wreaths were laid. The longest-serving officer in attendance, Acting Superintendent Anna Parkinson, and the shortest-serving, Senior Constable Mitch Copey, laid the first wreath together, symbolising recognition of all officers’ service regardless of rank. Cindy McLeish and Mayor Rabie also placed wreaths to honour the memory of the officers. After the wreaths were laid, everyone who attended the service was invited to morning tea at Mansfield CFA, with food catered by the Country Women’s Association. The Mansfield service drew a local crowd as members of the community joined police personnel to remember fallen officers. Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Bob Hill said National Police Remembrance Day was about honouring the ultimate sacrifice that Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart and many before them had made in the line of duty. “Today, and every day, Victoria Police honours the officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of the community. “Their sacrifice, and that of the 176 fallen officers before them, will never be forgotten.” For National Police Remembrance Day, the national flag flew at half-mast for the rest of the day, while commemorations continued in Mansfield with the police monument illuminated blue for a week.