Today, Victoria Police will pause to remember the 178 officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
National Police Remembrance Day - observed annually on 29 September - will see members of Victoria Police, their family and friends gather with the community to pay their respects to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
There have been 178 Victoria Police officers killed while serving and protecting the community since the force was established in 1853.
All of their names are etched into the honour wall at the Victoria Police Memorial, and none of them will be forgotten.
The two most recent names are that of Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart, who were tragically murdered in Porepunkah on 26 August last year.
They will again be remembered and honoured today, with their names to be included on the National Police Remembrance Wall in Canberra.
In addition to honouring fallen members, the day also allows Victoria Police and the community to pay their respects to 13 Victoria Police employees who have lost their lives through illness or other circumstances. A march and service will be held this morning, commencing at Princes Bridge at 10am and proceed down St Kilda Road to the Victoria Police Memorial where a formal remembrance service will then held at 10:20am.
Along with the sworn officers who lost their lives, protective services officers, police custody officers, Victorian Public Service employees and police chaplains who died through illness or other circumstances in the last year will all be recognised in the commemorations.
National Police Remembrance Day coincides with Blue Ribbon Day, an initiative of the Blue Ribbon Foundation which raises money for new and improved emergency facilities in Victorian public hospitals, and names equipment in memory of fallen officers.
Regional services will also be held today across the state including Altona, Ararat, Bairnsdale, Ballarat, Bannockburn, Bendigo, Hamilton, Horsham, Mansfield, Rosebud, Shepparton and Werribee.
Dates, times and locations for all regional services are listed on the Victoria Police website.
For more information about National Police Remembrance Day, visit https://www.police.vic.gov.au/national-police-remembrance-day-and-memorial.
Quotes attributable to Deputy Commissioner Bob Hill:
"Today, and every day, Victoria Police honours the officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of the community.
"Every day, our officers deploy knowing full well that they may be required to place themselves in harm's way to protect the broader community. This is a noble and honourable profession, and our members and veterans should be very proud of their service as members of Victoria Police."
