Nearly 2,000 people gathered at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall on Sunday 27 September 2026 for the 23rd National Police Memorial Day, commemorating police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.

The annual service brought together bereaved families, colleagues and friends to remember those who died serving the public, many in harrowing circumstances.

Tributes were paid to the 4,660 officers listed on the national Roll of Honour. The names of the eight officers who died in the past year were read aloud, followed by two minutes' silence as petals of remembrance fell over the audience.

Liam Kelly, Chair of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland, read the names of the eight officers:

- Police Constable Matthew Blades, Cleveland Police, aged 37 years

- Police Constable Tom Clough, Cleveland Police, aged 38 years

- Police Constable Alice Slominska, Bedfordshire Police, aged 19 years

- Police Constable Jess Turnbull, Northumbria Police, aged 19 years

- Police Constable Mark Chester, Ministry of Defence Police, aged 35 years

- Police Constable Mathew Parker, Essex Police, aged 43 years

- Police Constable Bradley Corke, Kent Police, aged 27 years

- Police Constable Faizaan Najeeb, Northamptonshire Police, aged 24 years

Family members participated throughout the service, underlining the commitment, courage and sacrifice of their loved ones.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who gave a reading at the service, said: "Policing is not just a profession. It is a calling answered by those with the courage to place themselves in harm's way. Today we honour the police officers who have fallen in the line of duty and lost their lives as they sought to protect us all.

"These officers embodied what it means to selflessly serve their communities. I also want to thank those who continue to keep us safe, today and every day."

Representing The King, Lord Lieutenant Fionnuala Jay-O'Boyle presented the Elizabeth Emblem to the brother of DC Michael Swindells of West Midlands Police, who died on 21 May 2004. DC Swindells was fatally stabbed once in the chest while pursuing a suspect known to be armed with a kitchen knife on the towpath of the Tame Valley Canal beneath the Gravelly Hill Interchange in Aston, Birmingham. Earlier that day, the suspect had threatened a carpenter outside his home, leading officers to encounter him on a park bench before a pursuit of more than half a mile. DC Swindells was posthumously awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal, and in 2008 the Police Memorial Trust unveiled a permanent memorial at the Tame Valley Canal in Aston, Birmingham.

Candles were lit to remember officers from across the United Kingdom, with one candle for each nation. Those taking part included:

- Representing Northern Ireland: Jackie Gorman, mother of Police Constable Kevin Declan Gorman, Police Service of Northern Ireland, who died on 23 November 2008 (aged 24) alongside three colleagues when their police vehicle lost control and struck a wall while responding to a call for assistance.

- Representing Wales: Dorothy Ellis, mother of Police Constable Adrian Bryn Ellis, Gwent Constabulary, who died on 27 September 1989 (aged 29) in a motorcycle accident while travelling to report for duty.

- Representing Scotland: Christine Fulton MBE, wife of Police Constable Lewis George Fulton, Strathclyde Police, who died on 17 June 1994 (aged 28) after being stabbed during a violent struggle as he acted to protect members of the public.

- Representing England: Chris Prior, husband of Police Constable Rosie Prior, North Yorkshire Police, who died on 11 January 2025 (aged 45) when she was struck by a lorry while assisting at the scene of a collision.

Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said: "It has been an enormous privilege for the Police Service of Northern Ireland to host this year's National Police Memorial Day in Northern Ireland and to welcome so many colleagues, friends and families to Belfast.

"It was an incredible honour to have had the opportunity to spend time with families of police officers from Northern Ireland and across the United Kingdom and to remember their loved ones who have paid the ultimate sacrifice serving our communities. In the next few months, the Police Service of Northern Ireland will be 25 years old and this is a time to reflect on the journey policing has taken and the enormous progress we have made. We have seen incredible changes as an organisation – however, there is still more to do. Our officers and staff continue to deliver despite the ongoing challenges we face.

"Police officers put themselves in harm's way every day to keep people safe and National Police Memorial Day is an important opportunity for us all to remember the loss of those who went before us and others who continue to put the safety of others above their own. Their sacrifice, commitment and dedication to their duty must never be forgotten."