POLICE Remembrance Day carries special significance to the city; which has lost two serving officers in the line of duty.
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Sergeant Paul Quinn, was shot and killed at Perthville in 1984, and Senior Constable Clarence Pierie died in the line of duty in 1960. Their sacrifice was honoured as part of National Police Remembrance Day on Friday.
Police Remembrance Day is September 29, but given it fell on a weekend, ceremonies across the state were brought forward, including in the Chifley Police District.
The day began with the re-dedication of Sergeant Quinn’s memorial plinth at Perthville, which was reinstated after being washed away in flood waters six years ago.
Re-dedicating the plinth, Bishop of Bathurst, and Police Chaplain, Bishop Richard Hurford said Police Remembrance Day was a perfect day to be doing the ceremony.
Bishop Hurford prayed that Sgt. Quinn’s memorial, adjacent to where he was shot, would provide peace and comfort to his family and the community. He said he hoped it would be an inspiration to all who pass by it to continue to work for peace and justice in our community.
Sgt Quinn was just 25 when he was shot dead by Patrick Horan on March 30, 1986.
Horan, a paranoid schizophrenic, had not been taking his medication when his mother called police about his erratic and violent behavior.
One of the officers to respond to the call was Constable Quinn, then 25 and on duty at Bathurst for only his fifth shift since being transferred from Casino, to be near his parents.
After a pursuit that ended 10 kilometres south of Bathurst at Perthville, Constable Quinn got out of his car and ran towards Horan, who fatally shot him in the left clavicle with a .303-calibre rifle.
Senior Constable Ian Borland, then 36, who also responded to the call, was seriously injured being shot in both legs and his hand. After injuring Sen Const Borland, Horan continued shooting at five other officers.
Supt of Chifley Police District, Paul McDonald spoke about the significance the district places on National Police Remembrance Day.
“Paul had only worked five shifts here [before his death] but his memory and sacrifice live on in Bathurst with the naming of the Paul Quinn Memorial Police Compound at Mount Panorama and the Paul Quinn Memorial Award, which is a highly prized and revered award within the Police District.”
