The dangers of police work in Queensland were highlighted today as hundreds of officers remembered fallen colleagues.

One hundred and forty police have been killed in the line of duty.

Mayowa Adeniyi reports.

TRANSCRIPT

They gathered at police headquarters on Roma Street before marching to St John’s Cathedral.

At the commemorative service, the parents of Constables Sondra Lena and Sally Urquhart were presented with hand-drawn images of their loved ones.

Sandy Lena, Mother: “(The) Commissioner did say to us last night at the vigil, there’s going to be a surprise. I just expected it to be her photo and that was probably it and he wouldn’t tell us what the surprise was.”

Sonda Lena was fatally struck by a car at a road block in Rockhampton in 1992.

Constable Urqhart died in a plane crash in 2005 near Lockhart River in far north Queensland.

Her mother says she had a passion for policing.

Elizabeth Urquhart, Mother: “I was just thinking of my girl. She loved life and she was taken far too early.”

Ian Stewart, Queensland Police Commissioner: “We’ve been very very lucky in this state that in the last two years there has been no extra name added to the honour roll.”

Fortunately, since 2014 no Australian Police Officers have been killed in the line of duty, but for the families present here today, the pain of losing their loved ones is still quite present.

Shane Urquhart, Father: “People always talk about closure but there’s no such thing as closure and so it’s not about closure it’s just about more support from the Police service and for us.”

A force willing to serve and remember those who’ve given their lives.

Mayowa Adeniyi, QUT News.