Memories of fallen colleagues who paid price of daily danger
Federation speaks of ‘another dark day’ for the police
THE shooting of an unarmed policewoman in Leeds is a stark reminder of the extreme dangers faced by officers as they go about their jobs every day.
As she remained in hospital with serious injuries last night, memories resurfaced of other brave officers gunned down in the line of duty.
More than 50 police men and women have died on duty in Yorkshire over the past 50 years, nine of whom were murdered, according to the Police Roll of Honour Trust.
Among them was PC Sharon Beshenivsky, who was shot dead by armed robbers during a raid on a Bradford travel agent. She was 38.
West Yorkshire Police Federation vice-chairman Ned Liddemore, said yesterday was “another dark day” for the force, which came as a painful reminder of PC Beshenivsky’s loss.
“I knew Sharon personally from my days over in Bradford and every time something like this happens it brings it all home,” he said.
“It just highlights the dangers our officers face, day in, day out.”
The Keighley mother-of-three was killed by a bullet to the heart when the robbers opened fire on November 18, 2005 – her daughter’s fourth birthday.
Her colleague PC Teresa Milburn was also wounded.
Mustaf Jama, Yusuf Jama and Muzzaker Shah were jailed for life with a minimum term of 35 years for PC Beshenivsky’s murder.
Her widower Paul called for officers to be routinely armed after Greater Manchester Police constables Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes were killed last year.
The pair were lured to their deaths by drug-dealer Dale Cregan, who had made a false re- port of criminal damage before launching a gun and grenade attack on the two unarmed women.
Carrying guns would make officers feel safer and command them more respect, Mr Beshenivsky said. But PC Liddemore said it was not the answer.
“I personally don’t want to see officers routinely carrying firearms on the streets of West Yorkshire, the majority of officers don’t and I don’t think the public do either,” he said.
PC Beshenivsky’s murder came just two years after PC Ian Broadhurst was killed in Leeds on Boxing Day, 2003.
He was shot in the chest and then in the head at point-blank range by former US marine David Bieber after stopping his suspected stolen car in Oakwood. His colleagues PC Neil Roper and PC James Banks were also wounded but survived.
Bieber – who had fled to the UK from Florida, where he was wanted over a murder conspiracy – was ordered to spend the rest of his life behind bars but his sentence was reduced to 37 years on appeal.
North Yorkshire Police special constable Glenn Goodman was killed in similar circumstances just over a decade earlier in Tadcaster.
The married father, 37, was shot by IRA gunman Paul Magee after stopping his car on the A64 to make a random check on June 7, 1992.
He died later in hospital. His colleague PC Sandy Kelly was injured but survived.
Magee was jailed for life but served only seven years of his minimum 30-year term before he was freed in 2000 along with accomplice Michael O’Brien as part of the Good Friday Agreement.
At a memorial service marking the 20th anniversary of Mr Goodman’s death last year, his parents said they remained angry at the decision to release the pair.
Justice was never served for the family of West Yorkshire Police sergeant John Speed.
The 39-year-old was shot dead after going to the aid of colleague PC John Thorpe, who was fired on and wounded during a routine check on two men acting suspiciously near Leeds Parish Church in October 1984.
The killer, David Gricewith, was not identified until after his own death more than two years later.
In the summer of 1982, two North Yorkshire Police officers were killed and a third was injured by Barry Prudom, who was on the run after jumping bail from an assault trial at Leeds Crown Court.
His first victim was PC David Haigh, 29. Prudom shot him dead when he approached his car near Harrogate.
He later shot PC Ken Oliver when he stopped his car for a routine check in Dalby Forest. The officer’s nose was blasted off but he miraculously survived.
Prudom then shot dead sergeant David Winter in Old Malton before eventually turning the gun on himself.
Other officers killed in the line of duty include West Yorkshire Police sergeant Michael Hawcroft, 31, who was stabbed to death in 1981; North Yorkshire Police detective constable Norman Garnham, who was stabbed in 1977; and West Yorkshire Police inspector Barry Taylor, 30, shot dead in 1970.