PFNI says Royal opening of Memorial Garden is ‘fitting tribute’

The Police Federation for Northern Ireland has said that the official opening by The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall of the PSNI Memorial Garden is a fitting tribute to officers who lost their lives since the inception of the service in 2001.

The Police Federation for Northern Ireland has said that the official opening by The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall of the PSNI Memorial Garden is a fitting tribute to officers who lost their lives since the inception of the service in 2001.

Relatives of the nine officers who died attended the moving ceremony in the grounds of PSNI headquarters at Brooklyn.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess unveiled a Memorial Book and a plaque to signal the official opening of the Memorial Garden.

The Prince then laid a wreath while the Duchess placed flowers at the memorial.

PFNI Chairman, Mark Lindsay, represented the staff association at the event.

Afterwards, Mr Lindsay said: “I was honoured to have been there to pay my respects to colleagues who lost their lives in tragic circumstances.

“This was a fitting tribute to the officers, and I know the families are deeply appreciative of the way their loved ones are being remembered.

“The Memorial Garden is a constant reminder to our wider community of the dangerous work officers do day and daily. It is right and proper that those who served and paid the ultimate price are remembered in this way.

“I was delighted The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall could attend and perform the official opening, which I know will be deeply appreciated by the wider police family.”