Wimmera police superintendent Ian Milner paid tribute to fallen colleagues with a wreath-laying on Tuesday for National Police Remembrance Day.
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"It's specifically important for us here because we lost one of our own with Leading Senior Constable Heath Martin," he said.
"He was based at the Horsham Highway Patrol unit and took his own life earlier this year, which had quite an impact on the members here.
"It's also a sad time for us with the loss of four members this year on the Eastern Freeway."
On April 22, four members of Victoria Police were hit and killed by a truck on Melbourne's Eastern Freeway while trying to impound a speeding Porsche.
The sudden deaths of Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor, Senior Constable Kevin King, Constable Josh Prestney and Constable Glen Humphris were the single greatest loss of life in the history of Victoria Police.
"It's a day that we honour all of our members that have lost their lives while performing their duties as a police officer," Mr Milner said.
"Importantly on this day, we also remember those from Victoria Police that have lost their lives over the last 12 months.
"It gives me an opportunity to reflect. Obviously, there are people that I have worked with in the past who have lost their lives.
"Blue Ribbon Day is an opportunity for members of the community to acknowledge and pay respects to members that have lost their lives," he said.
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"We will locally remember and pay our respects with a small, short wreath-laying ceremony at the front of the Ararat Police Station.
"Traditionally here in division four, there would be a ceremony at the church in Horsham, which would be followed by a march down the street and an awards ceremony."
This year, Victoria Police hosted an online service for National Police Remembrance Day due to coronavirus restrictions.
"It provides the opportunity for not only current serving members, but members of the community and also retired members to respect the people that have lost their lives," Mr Milner said.
The service honoured Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor, Senior Constable Kevin King, Constable Josh Prestney and Constable Glen Humphris who died in the line of duty on April 22, and also the lives of another 19 Victoria Police officers, Victorian Public Service staff and police chaplains who died in the last year.
The memorial is still available online for those who were unable to watch it live: https://www.facebook.com/events/3094257794029647/.
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