National Police Memorial (United Kingdom)

Last updated

National Police Memorial
Police Memorial Trust & Police Roll of Honour Trust
PoliceNationalMemorial2755.jpg
For UK police officers killed in the execution of their duty
Unveiled26 April 2005;19 years ago (2005-04-26)
Location 51°30′20.67″N00°7′48.23″W / 51.5057417°N 0.1300639°W / 51.5057417; -0.1300639
London, SW1
Designed by Lord Norman Foster and Per Arnoldi
The National Police Memorial: Honouring Those who Serve

The National Police Memorial is a memorial in central London, commemorating about 4,000 police officers killed in the course of their duties in the United Kingdom. It was designed by Lord Foster of Thames Bank and Per Arnoldi and unveiled in 2005. The project architect for Foster was Peter Ridley.

Contents

Historical background

In 1984, following the shooting of Yvonne Fletcher, film director Michael Winner founded the Police Memorial Trust. Initially the trust concentrated on erecting smaller monuments at the points where officers had died on duty. [1] From the mid-1990s, the trust also lobbied and raised funds for a single, larger scale memorial to commemorate all police officers who had died in the course of their duties. [2] Winner stated that "Memorials to soldiers, sailors and airmen are commonplace, but the police fight a war with no beginning and no end". [3]

Winner donated £500,000 of his own money to the campaign for a national memorial. [4] The remainder of the total cost of £2.3 million was met by a public collection. [4] After a ten-year campaign, Westminster City Council granted planning permission in October 2002. [5]

Design and construction

The memorial was built to a design by Lord Foster of Thames Bank and Danish designer Per Arnoldi, on the corner of The Mall and Horse Guards Road, directly outside the Old Admiralty Building. [6] The site was occupied at the time by an air shaft on the Bakerloo line of the London Underground. [4]

The west face of the memorial West Face of the National Police Memorial, London (01).jpg
The west face of the memorial

On 22 July 2004, a symbolic groundbreaking ceremony took place on the site, performed by Prime Minister Tony Blair, Michael Winner, and officers from the Metropolitan Police and Greater Manchester Police, representing the two forces with the highest number of officers killed in the line of duty. [3]

The south face of the blue glass column of the National Police Memorial Glass Column at the National Police Memorial, London (South Face - 01).jpg
The south face of the blue glass column of the National Police Memorial

The memorial was formally unveiled on 26 April 2005 by Queen Elizabeth and Tony Blair. [3] Michael Howard and Charles Kennedy, the leaders of the UK's other leading political parties at the time, were also present. [7] A guard of honour was provided by 56 officers wearing the uniforms of each of the UK's police forces. [3] The Queen stated that "It is surely appropriate that this should be positioned in The Mall - an area of London so often associated with our national way of life. When people pass by the memorial, I hope they will pause and reflect on the proud traditions that it represents. The courage and personal sacrifice recorded here will, I am certain, serve as an inspiration to us all." [8]

Despite concerns over the potential cost, [9] construction of the memorial eventually came in at £400,000 under budget, [10] in part because a number of the contractors concerned carried out their work free of charge. [11]

The memorial was a winner of the Royal Institute of British Architects award for 2006. [12] [13]

Architectural elements

Repair work on the airshaft in 2007 National Police Mem.jpg
Repair work on the airshaft in 2007

The memorial consists of two distinct architectural elements, linked by a terrace of Purbeck stone. [3] A black rectangular creeper-covered enclosure surrounds the air shaft, forming a single block. The northern face of the enclosure is kept free of creepers, and is inscribed with the police badge of office and the text "The National Police Memorial: Honouring Those Who Serve". This face also includes a vitrine in which the Roll of Honour is displayed. [14]

Immediately north of the block, a glass column is sited in a reflecting pool. The column is internally illuminated by fibre optic cables with a faint blue light, [15] symbolising the blue lamp which traditionally hangs outside police stations in the United Kingdom. [14] The column is intended to screen the vitrine from passing traffic on The Mall. The column is 7.4 metres (24 ft) high, consisting of 622 stacked sheets of glass, a total surface area of 954 square metres (10,270 sq ft), weighing 28.6 tonnes. [15]

Roll of Honour

The Roll of Honour 1998-2007 National Pol Memorial book.jpg
The Roll of Honour 1998-2007

The memorial contains the UK Police Roll of Honour behind a glass panel, containing the names of approximately 4,000 officers killed whilst on duty, in the course of effecting an arrest or whilst carrying out hazardous duties. [8] The earliest entry is that of Watchman Isaac Smith, who died of injuries in 1680. [16] The book is compiled from the approximately 4,000 names recorded by the Police Roll of Honour Trust, [17] listing all officers who have died in the line of duty. [3]

Criticism

Flowers laid before the memorial Flowers placed before the National Police Memorial, London (02).jpg
Flowers laid before the memorial

The memorial attracted criticism from some families of officers killed in the line of duty, regarding the high cost, [9] and that the roll of honour lists only those officers killed during arrests or as a result of criminal acts, rather than all officers killed in the line of duty; [18] [19] also that, with the book being behind glass, friends and relatives of the deceased are not able to view the relevant page. [9] Before construction, objections were also raised to the memorial's construction by the London Historical Parks Group and the local residents' association. [20] Concern was also raised by some Irish republicans that the memorial includes the names of those RUC officers killed in The Troubles. [21]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Ulster Constabulary</span> Police force of Northern Ireland (1922–2001)

The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) was the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2001. It was founded on 1 June 1922 as a successor to the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) following the partition of Ireland. At its peak the force had around 8,500 officers, with a further 4,500 who were members of the RUC Reserve.

The Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) was an infantry regiment of the British Army established in 1970, with a comparatively short existence ending in 1992. Raised through public appeal, newspaper and television advertisements, their official role was the "defence of life or property in Northern Ireland against armed attack or sabotage" but unlike troops from Great Britain they were never used for "crowd control or riot duties in cities". At the time the UDR was the largest infantry regiment in the British Army, formed with seven battalions plus another four added within two years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheshire Constabulary</span> English territorial police force

Cheshire Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing the ceremonial county of Cheshire in North West England, comprising the unitary authorities of Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Borough of Halton and Borough of Warrington. The force is responsible for policing an area of 946 square miles (2,450 km2) with a population of approximately 1 million people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cumbria Constabulary</span> English territorial police force

Cumbria Constabulary is the territorial police force in England covering the unitary authority areas of Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness in the ceremonial county of Cumbria. As of September 2017, the force had 1,108 police officers, 535 police staff, 93 police community support officers, and 86 special constables.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derbyshire Constabulary</span> English territorial police force

Derbyshire Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing the county of Derbyshire, England. The force covers an area of over 1,000 square miles (3,000 km2) with a population of just under one million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Police Memorial Trust</span> UK charitable organisation

The Police Memorial Trust is a charitable organisation founded in 1984 and based in London. The trust's objective is to erect memorials to British police officers killed in the line of duty, at or near the spot where they died, thereby acting as a permanent reminder to the public of the sacrifice they made.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leicestershire Police</span> English territorial police force

Leicestershire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the counties of Leicestershire and Rutland in England. Its headquarters are at Enderby, Leicestershire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hertfordshire Constabulary</span> English territorial police force

Hertfordshire Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing the county of Hertfordshire in England. Its headquarters is in Welwyn Garden City. The current chief constable is Charlie Hall. As of March 2019, the force consists of over 1,900 police officers, 235 PCSOs, and over 1500 police staff, as well as being supported by more than 410 special constables.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Durham Constabulary</span> English territorial police force

Durham Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing the council areas of County Durham and Darlington in North East England. It does not cover all of the ceremonial or historic area of Durham, parts of which are covered by the neighbouring forces of Cleveland Police and Northumbria Police. The other neighbouring forces are Cumbria Constabulary to the west and North Yorkshire Police to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Staffordshire Police</span> British Home Office Constabulary

Staffordshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent in the West Midlands of England. It is made up of 11 local policing teams, whose boundaries are matched to the nine local authorities within Staffordshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Yorkshire Police</span> English territorial police force

North Yorkshire Police is the territorial police force covering the unitary authorities of North Yorkshire and the City of York in northern England. As of April 2024 the force had a strength of 1,665 police officers, 127 special constables, 192 PCSOs and 1,072 police staff. Of the 43 territorial police forces in England and Wales, the force has the 3rd largest geographic area of responsibility whilst being the 15th smallest force in terms of police officer numbers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Death of Ged Walker</span> British police officer

PC Gerald Michael "Ged" Walker was an English police dog handler with Nottinghamshire Police who was killed in the line of duty in Bulwell, Nottingham, in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Séamus McElwain</span> Member of the IRA

Séamus Turlough McElwain was a volunteer in the South Fermanagh Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) during The Troubles, who was killed by British special forces while preparing to ambush an army patrol.

Major James Matthew Stronge was a soldier and Ulster Unionist Party MP in the Parliament of Northern Ireland, and the later Northern Ireland Assembly. He was the son and heir of Sir Norman Stronge, Bt; they were both killed by the Provisional Irish Republican Army at his family home, Tynan Abbey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Police and Peace Officers' Memorial</span> Memorial in Ottawa, Ontario

The Canadian Police and Peace Officers' Memorial is a memorial in Ottawa, Ontario, commemorating approximately 900 Canadian law enforcement officers killed in the course of their duties. Dedicated in 1994, it is located at the northwest corner of the Parliament Hill grounds, overlooking the Ottawa River. The memorial consists of the Police Memorial Pavilion, a reconstruction of a 1877 gazebo by Thomas Seaton Scott, and a glass-and-steel perimeter wall etched with the names of the fallen officers, which was designed by landscape architectural firm Phillips Farevaag Smallenberg.

In the United Kingdom police firearm policy varies by constituent countries. In Northern Ireland, all police officers carry firearms whereas in the rest of the United Kingdom, firearms are carried only by specially-trained firearms officers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murder of Stephen Oake</span> Murder of a UK police officer

DC Stephen Robin Oake, was a police officer serving as an anti-terrorism detective with Greater Manchester Police in the United Kingdom who was murdered while attempting to arrest a suspected terrorist in Manchester on 14 January 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Police Roll of Honour Trust</span> UK charitable organisation

The Police Roll of Honour Trust is a charitable organisation registered in England & Wales and Scotland, it was founded in 2000 and records all those British police officers who have died on and in the line of duty. It has been granted a Royal Charter.

References

  1. ↑ "Police Memorial Trust". Police Memorial Trust. 21 August 2006. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
  2. ↑ Cavendish, Lucy (24 April 2005). "Calm Down Dear, It's Michael Winner". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 3 October 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The National Police Memorial". Police Roll of Honour Trust. 28 April 2005. Archived from the original on 29 March 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
  4. 1 2 3 "Recognising the ultimate sacrifice". BBC News. 26 April 2005. Archived from the original on 2 October 2008. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
  5. ↑ "National Police Memorial granted planning permission after 10-year campaign". Foster & Partners. 4 October 2002. Archived from the original on 8 February 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
  6. ↑ "Police Authority Backs National Police Memorial". Northumbria Police Authority. 20 October 2004. Retrieved 1 January 2008.[ dead link ]
  7. ↑ "Inspector Named in Police Memorial". Oxford Times. 28 April 2005. Archived from the original on 13 February 2016.
  8. 1 2 "National Police Memorial Unveiled". BBC News. 26 April 2005. Archived from the original on 30 December 2007. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
  9. 1 2 3 Fulton, Christine (June 2005). "President's Message" (PDF). Care of Police Survivors. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 February 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
  10. ↑ Winner, Michael (23 April 2006). "Give carving lessons the chop and deal with the veg". The Times. Archived from the original on 27 May 2015.
  11. ↑ "National Police Memorial". Waterman Group. May 2005. Retrieved 1 January 2008.[ dead link ]
  12. ↑ "Winner, but no prizes". Building. 2006 (26). Archived from the original on 13 February 2016.
  13. ↑ "RIBA Awards 2006". Royal Institute of British Architects. 10 October 2006. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
  14. 1 2 "National Police Memorial". Foster & Partners. Archived from the original on 2 September 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
  15. 1 2 "Haran Glass Builds Tribute to Fallen Heroes". The Glazine. Archived from the original on 10 October 2008. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
  16. ↑ "UK Police Roll of Honour". Archived from the original on 24 March 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  17. ↑ Allen, Liam (3 October 2004). "Remembering the Ultimate Sacrifice". BBC News. Archived from the original on 20 October 2006. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
  18. ↑ Ham, Angela (September 2005). "Police Memorial to Remember All" (PDF). Care of Police Survivors. Retrieved 1 January 2008.[ dead link ]
  19. ↑ Basnett, Guy (13 May 2005). "PC Missed off Memorial". The Journal. Archived from the original on 14 August 2011.
  20. ↑ Harris, Ed (22 April 2005). "Honour at Last for Police Dead". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 13 February 2016.
  21. ↑ Wallace, Ashleigh (31 July 2004). "RUC Names to be Engraved on Tribute to Police". Belfast Telegraph. Archived from the original on 11 January 2016.. The criticism was from Irish Republicans and their supporters, some of whom consider the RUC/PSNI to be a de facto paramilitary force occupying a foreign country, so their casualties were neither "national" nor "police".

51°30′20.67″N00°7′48.23″W / 51.5057417°N 0.1300639°W / 51.5057417; -0.1300639

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.