A SHOOTING and a siege at Lake Macquarie the night before National Police Remembrance Day services were a solemn reminder of the dangers police face every time they step out the door.
A crowd of police officers and staff, families, emergency service representatives and community members gathered at Hamilton's Sacred Heart Cathedral on Friday to remember members of the NSW Police family killed in the line of duty.
Northern region commander Assistant Commissioner David Waddell said police officers regularly put themselves between the people they serve and danger.
"Last night police did respond to a shooting at Lake Macquarie, along with a siege and some other very serious incidents, and police every day run towards danger to protect our community," he said on Friday.
"Obviously it places them at risk and from time to time we do lose police officers - friends and colleagues - and this is an opportunity for us to come together and remember them."
National Police Remembrance Day falls on Sunday, September 29, with services held on September 27, and is marked right across Australia and the Pacific region.
It is a day to honour members of the NSW Police Force who have died in the line of duty, remember those who have died in other circumstances, and pay tribute to the bravery of officers who dedicate their lives to protecting communities.
Police minister Yasmin Catley attended the service at the NSW Wall of Remembrance in Sydney and said it was a time to stop and think of the officers who had made the ultimate sacrifice.
"We also pay our respects to those left behind - the families, friends, and colleagues - whose losses are incomprehensible," she said.
"On behalf of the people of NSW, we thank you for the incredible work you do - all too often in the face of grave danger.
"Today we honour the relentless dedication, compassion, and commitment of our police officers, both past and present."
There have been 275 names inscribed on the wall, with one more added this year.
Sergeant Peter Stone from the Blue Mountains command died on January 1, 2023, while saving his son from a rip at Bologa Beach on the south coast. An investigation revealed he was on duty at the time.
Two Hunter police officers were running more than 300 kilometres from the NSW Wall of Remembrance to the National Police Memorial in Canberra from Wednesday to Sunday, with the aim of fundraising for NSW Police Legacy.
The charity supports those left behind by fallen police officers.
