The Tennant Creek Police force put on a touching show of solidarity with their Queensland counterparts by lighting up the station with blue lights on Wednesday night to honour the two police offers who were tragically killed in the line of duty on 12 December.

To coincide with the state service of Constable McCrow and Constable Arnold who were killed in an execution-style ambush at a remote Wieambilla property in Qld.

Constable McCrow passed away at the age of 29. She had served in the Queensland Police Service for one year and six months, having been sworn-in in June 2021.

Constable Arnold passed away at the age of 26. He had served in the Queensland Police Service for two years and nine months, having been sworn-in in March 2020.

Senior Police Auxiliary Barbara Martin, with the help of staff member Linda Renfrey, set up the lights loaned from the Barkly Regional Council for the mark of honour.

Senior Police Auxiliary Barbara Martin was there to capture the moment just after the stormed rolled by, turning the sky a brilliant blue to match the lit-up station.

Last week Superintendent Mark Grieve said police are a uniform family and the gravity of such incidents hit home and re-enforce the dangers that police can and do face on a daily basis.

All levels of governments across the nation flew their flags at half mast on the day of the service, including the Barkly Regional Council, with Acting Mayor Russell O’Donnell urging residents to thank a local police officer when you see them.

“Being a police officer is an extremely stressful occupation, physically and emotionally – it is a tough job not just for the officers but also for the families who support them.”

This article appeared in Tennant & District Times, 23 December 2022.