Memorial garden dedicated to North Yorkshire Police officers who have lost their lives in service

Families remember loved ones at memorial garden dedication ceremony

The families of police officers who died while in service have helped commemorate their loved ones during a special dedication event at North Yorkshire Police’s new memorial garden.

Wreaths were laid in memory of those who have lost their lives during the ceremony, at the new Alverton Court headquarters.

Families and guests were also invited to take a stone and write the name of their loved one on it, along with any personal messages.

Memorials commemorating fallen officers from both World Wars and those who died while working at North Yorkshire Police have been moved from the old headquarters at Newby Wiske to the memorial garden at the centre of the new HQ.

Three meeting rooms at Alverton Court have also been named in honour of fallen officers including, Special Constable Glenn Goodman, Sergeant David Winter and PC David Haigh.

Their families were given special viewings of the rooms and copies of the murals which are on the walls.

The service was introduced by Reverend Robert Williamson, with North Yorkshire Police’s Chief Constable Dave Jones and Deputy Chief Constable Lisa Winward attending as presenting dignitaries.

The names of the twelve North Riding Constabulary police officers who were killed in World War I are immortalised on one of the memorial stones.

Some of their descendants attended the service.

Officers, cadets, police staff, specials and North Yorkshire Police volunteers also attended the service to pay their respects.

To coincide with the event, Jane Palmer, the Chief Constable’s Chief Finance Officer, used her love of history and genealogy to find out more about the dozen officers of the North Riding Police who gave their lives in World War I.

Jane carried out the research in her spare time using archived documents, official records, historic newspaper articles and more.