Flag Party members Senior Constable Todd Armstrong (Kingaroy), Senior Constable Sarah Bartholomeusz (Nanango) and Nanango Officer-in-Charge Sergeant Jason Newton

September 30, 2014

Police officers from throughout the South Burnett gathered in Nanango on Monday afternoon to honour former colleagues who have been killed in the line of duty.

The annual ceremony, organised by Murgon Officer-in-Charge Acting Inspector Lance Guteridge, was hosted this year by the Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic parish.

Police officers were joined by colleagues from other emergency services, South Burnett councillors and members of the public for the commemoration.

As well as the 140 police officers who had lost their lives in Queensland over the past 150 years,  the service also remembered police staff members and retired police who have died over the past 12 months.

Seven serving Queensland police officers whose deaths over the past 12 months were non-work related were also named and honoured.

Today’s ceremony was held in conjunction with the sesquicentenary celebrations for the Queensland Police, which made it a special cause of celebration for Nanango police.

Nanango is one of the oldest police stations in the State.

Acting Inspector Lance Guteridge said there had been a continuous police presence in the town dating back to even before the formation of the Queensland Police.

After the service, police moved to Taras Hall at Nanango RSL Club where a special plaque was unveiled which lists the names of all officers who have served at Nanango over the past 150 years.

National Police Remembrance Day is traditionally held on September 29, the Feast of St Michael the Archangel who fought evil in the form of a dragon.

Murgon Officer-in-Charge Acting Inspector Lance Guteridge with his father, retired police officer Kev Guteridge who was Officer-in-Charge at Nanango from 1977-79, and Constable Frank Paratore (Nanango)

Assistant Commissioner (Southern Region) Tony Wright with his wife Leigh 

Police Chaplain John Selwood with Our Lady Help of Christians parish priest Fr Nigel Sequeira

Sergeant Greg Kapernick and Cherbourg Officer-in-Charge Sergeant Scott Prendergast 

Nanango resident Jim Mangan with Police Chaplain Ken Hansen, Dalby
Operations Inspector Peter Duncan (Brisbane) and Detective Superintendent Tony Duncan (Regional Crime Intelligence Co-ordinator Brisbane Region) with Murgon Officer-in-Charge, Acting Inspector Lance Guteridge … the fathers of all three men were OIC at Nanango – Sgt Jimmy Duncan from 1969-77 and Sgt Kev Guteridge 1977-79  

Acting Superintendent Michael Bianchi (Roma) and his wife Judith with Tricia Perrett, Nanango

Deputy Mayor Keith Campbell, Cr Barry Green and Mayor Wayne Kratzmann 
Nanango Officer-in-Charge Jason Newton and Assistant Commissioner (Southern Region) Tony Wright unveiled a plaque which lists all police officers who have served at Nanango since 1864; the plaque will be mounted in Nanango Police Station