A new Police Memorial Wall at Forest Lawn Memorial Park will be officially unveiled this Wednesday.
The wall will provide a dedicated place to honour the courage, service and sacrifice of current and former police members.
Located within Forest Lawn’s established RSL Memorial area, the new memorial has been created following discussions with members of the retired police community, who felt the service and sacrifice of police officers deserved a dedicated place of recognition.
As part of the unveiling this Wednesday (September 23), Forest Lawn Memorial Park, in collaboration with the Macarthur Retired and Former Police Association NSW and Kenneally’s Funerals will hold its first Police Memorial Service at 11am, ahead of National Police Remembrance Day on September 29.
The service will bring together current and former police officers, families, friends and supporters to remember police members who have served their communities and those who are no longer with us.
The police memorial is in the right location next to the RSL memorial,’’ says Ray James, member of the Retired and Former Police Association Macarthur Branch and former Senior Constable.
“Many members like myself served in both the Navy, Army or Air Force plus the NSW Police Force,” he said.
Forest Lawn Park and garden manager Josephine Faatoafe said the memorial was created in response to a desire from retired members of the police community to ensure their service would be remembered in a dedicated space.
“The Police Memorial Wall is about recognising the people behind the uniform and acknowledging the courage, commitment and sacrifice that police members have given throughout their careers,” Josephine said.
“Members of the retired police community told us they felt police officers could sometimes be overlooked when we remember those who have served our communities.
“We wanted to create a dedicated place where their contribution could be recognised and where families could come to remember and reflect.”
The memorial has been designed to complement the existing RSL Memorial area at Forest Lawn and will feature 50 granite niche positions exclusively for police members.
Families of honoured police members can also purchase memorial garden positions surrounding the wall, creating a dedicated area where families can continue to remember their loved ones.
The memorial positions will be available directly through Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
Josephine said the location within the established RSL Memorial area was particularly meaningful.
“We felt it was important that this memorial sit alongside the existing RSL Memorial, recognising the connection between service, duty and sacrifice,” she said.
“It will provide a quiet and lasting place for police families and the wider community to reflect on the contribution these men and women have made.’’
The Police Memorial Service will include the official unveiling of the new wall by Roger Ford, secretary of the Retired and Former Police Association Macarthur Branch.
