Each year we pause on National Police Remembrance Day to remember our fallen colleagues and honour the ultimate sacrifice they made.

National Police Remembrance Day is the most significant day on the police calendar and is an opportunity for officers and members of the public to honour those police officers whose lives were lost while performing their duties.

It is also a time to remember the families, partners, friends and colleagues who have sacrificed and lost so much.

The following candlelight vigils, marches and memorial services will be held throughout Queensland this year.

Vigils will be held on Thursday evening, September 27 – unless otherwise stated – while marches and memorial services will be held on Friday, September 28.

Dress of the Day

Commissioned Officers (on duty)

• Candlelight Vigil and Marching in uniform – ‘Dress of the Day uniform’.  No tunics. The wearing of full size Medals and Citations are encouraged however, are not to be worn on polo shirts or Load Bearing Vests.
• Plain clothes officers – business attire with insignia as appropriate. The wearing of full size Medals and Citations are encouraged.

Non Commissioned Officers (on duty)

• Candlelight Vigil and Marching in uniform – ‘Dress of the Day uniform’.  No tunics.  The wearing of full size Medals and Citations are encouraged however, are not to be worn on polo shirts or Load Bearing Vests.
• Plain clothes officers – business attire with insignia as appropriate.  The wearing of full size Medals and Citations are encouraged.

All police officers

Unless an officer has an exception approved, or is not OST qualified (including a current OST exemption) firearms and accoutrements are to be carried in the manner that is prescribed in policy.

Officers for whom an exception is approved, who are not OST qualified (including a current OST exemption) are encouraged to march and attend services to show their support of National Police Remembrance Day.

‘Dress of the Day uniform‘ includes uniform items issued to police officers for their daily rostered duties.

‘Dress of the Day uniform‘ includes firearm and accoutrements, if OST qualified and officers possess same.

Staff Members or Civilian Guests

Business attire with medals

Lowering of Flags

Flags at police establishments should be flown at the half-mast position as a sign of mourning until noon, then at full-mast to sunset. The flag is brought to the half-mast position by first raising it to the masthead and then immediately lowering it slowly to the half-mast position.  The flag should be raised again to the top before being lowered for the day.

The position of the flag when flying at half-mast will depend on the size of the flag and the length of the flagpole.

It is essential that it be lowered at least to a position recognizably “half-mast” so as to avoid the appearance of a flag which has accidentally fallen away from the mast-head owing to a loose halyard.

A satisfactory position for half-masting would normally be when the top of the flag is one-third of the distance down from the top of the mast.

Remembrance Day Blue Ribbons

Each year the Queensland Police Service provides all staff with satin blue and white chequered ribbons to be worn as a symbol of remembrance for all those officers who have been killed on duty.

The ribbon should be worn on the right hand side directly above the name tag.