Unit fails on follow-ups

DANIEL BATEMAN Far North yesterday. District Officer of the Far North Chief Superintendent Brett Schafferius said it was one of the most important days in the year for police.

“The QPS (Queensland Police Service) is a big family – we know so many of each other, we go through tough times together and we stick together,” he said.

“Sadly, it’s a fact of life that from time to time some of our members will lose their life in the execution of their duty.”

He said the Far Northern police community had lost four members in the past year due to natural causes, including Constable Tobie Whittleton (Thursday Island), Senior Constable Louise Rimon (Tablelands), Police Chaplain John Newman and administrative officer Coral Smith ( Mareeba).