Scotland Police Chief Pays Tribute to Officers Killed in A66 Crash

Key Points

• Police Scotland Chief Constable Jo Farrell expressed his condolences for the deaths of the Cleveland Police officers last month in an A66 crash, which claimed the lives of Pc Tom Clough and Pc Matthew Blades.
• Farrell said the deaths of the officers “resonated across the UK policing family”.
• The tribute was read at the Scottish Police Memorial in Tulliallan, Fife, at the Scottish Police Memorial Trust’s 22nd annual service of remembrance.
• The remembrance service was attended by families and friends of the officers who have lost their lives, and Scottish Justice Secretary Neil Gray.
• Before they took part in a minute’s silence for officers who had lost their lives in the line of duty, the service was conducted by Reverend Ann Purdie.
• Clough and Blades were killed when their marked armed response vehicle was hit by a car which was driving in the opposite direction on a dual carriageway.
• Farrell sent condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of the two Cleveland Police constables.
• The chief constable also stressed the incident of two police officers being stabbed in Larkhall in July, as a warning to officers.
• A wreath was placed at the Scottish Police Memorial, which lists the names of police officers who were known to have died in Scotland in the line of duty since the start of modern policing.
• A list of 356 British Transport Police, Ministry of Defence Police and their predecessors along with Police Scotland officers is included on the memorial.
• This year six further names appeared on the memorial for officers who died whilst on duty from 1815 to 1966.
• This year’s service was especially moving in light of the Cleveland deaths, said Scottish Police Memorial Trust co-founder Christine Fulton.
• Police officers routinely put themselves in harm’s way, said Justice Secretary Neil Gray, and the service was an opportunity to “show respect for their courage, dedication and selflessness.

Tulliallan (Britain Today News) September 02, 2026: Chief Constable Jo Farrell has paid tribute to Cleveland Police constables Pc Tom Clough and Pc Matthew Blades, who were killed in a crash on the A66 last month, describing their deaths as devastating and saying the tragedy had “resonated across the UK policing family”.

Farrell made the remarks at the Scottish Police Memorial Trust’s annual service of remembrance at the Scottish Police Memorial in Tulliallan, Fife. The event brought together families and friends of officers who died while on duty, as well as senior public figures and representatives of the policing community.

The service was held as an occasion to remember officers who lost their lives while serving the public and to recognise the impact of those deaths on their families, friends, colleagues and wider communities.

Farrell used the event to extend a message of support and condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of Clough and Blades. The two officers were killed after their marked armed response vehicle was struck by a car travelling in the wrong direction on a dual carriageway.

The chief constable said their deaths had affected the wider policing community across the United Kingdom, placing the A66 tragedy within the broader tradition of police remembrance.

What did Jo Farrell say about Tom Clough and Matthew Blades?

During the service, Farrell spoke directly about the deaths of the two Cleveland Police officers and emphasised the continuing responsibility of the policing community to support colleagues and their loved ones.

As stated in the supplied report, Farrell said:

“We send a message of support and condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of Cleveland Police constables Tom Clough and Matthew Blades whose devastating deaths on duty last month resonated across the UK policing family.”

She described the Scottish Police Memorial Trust’s annual gathering as an “essential date in the policing calendar”, stressing the importance of maintaining a collective commitment to remembering officers who have died while carrying out their duties.

Farrell also spoke about the role of the wider policing family in providing support during difficult periods. She said officers, colleagues, friends and loved ones should continue to offer strength and comfort to one another.

Her remarks placed the remembrance service in the context of both historical losses and recent events affecting police forces elsewhere in the UK.

Why did the chief constable highlight the dangers faced by police officers?

Farrell also referred to the attempted murder of two police officers in Larkhall in July. She described the incident as a sharp reminder that officers frequently move towards danger when members of the public require assistance.

In her remarks, she said:

“In Scotland, sadly, the attempted murder of two colleagues in Larkhall in July is a sharp reminder that in times of crisis, police officers move towards danger to keep others safe.”

The statement highlighted one of the central themes of the memorial service: the risks officers face as part of their professional responsibilities.

Farrell also recognised officers throughout the UK who respond to calls for help around the clock. She noted that policing is a 24-hour responsibility and that officers’ families and loved ones provide important support behind the scenes.

She said:

“I want to recognise and pay tribute to officers across the UK who answer calls for help 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

Farrell added that when officers respond to their duties, their families and loved ones provide crucial care and support.

The comments recognised that the consequences of policing tragedies extend beyond individual officers and can have a lasting effect on families and colleagues.

Who attended the Scottish Police Memorial remembrance service?

Farrell was joined at the event by families and friends of fallen officers, Scottish Justice Secretary Neil Gray and Reverend Ann Purdie.

Reverend Purdie delivered the remembrance service before those attending observed a minute’s silence to honour officers who had died while on duty.

The presence of families and friends was central to the event, providing an opportunity for those connected to fallen officers to gather alongside serving members of the policing community.

The service also reflected the long history of policing in Scotland and the sacrifices made by officers across successive generations.

Wreaths were laid at the Scottish Police Memorial as part of the commemoration. The memorial is engraved with the names of police officers known to have died while on duty in Scotland since the beginning of modern policing.

The remembrance therefore connected the recent deaths of Clough and Blades with a much longer record of police officers who lost their lives while serving their communities.

How many officers are remembered at the Scottish Police Memorial?

The Scottish Police Memorial contains the names of 356 police officers from Police Scotland, British Transport Police, the Ministry of Defence Police and their antecedent forces.

The memorial records officers who died on duty across different periods of policing history, providing a permanent record of those who made the ultimate sacrifice while carrying out their responsibilities.

The first known death recorded in the history represented by the memorial dates back to 1812.

Six new names were added to the memorial this year. The newly recognised officers died while on duty between 1815 and 1966 and represented former constabularies in Edinburgh, Aberdeenshire, Dunbartonshire and Lanarkshire.

The additions demonstrate that the memorial’s work is not limited to recent police deaths. Historical records continue to be identified and incorporated so that officers who died in previous generations are also remembered.

The inclusion of the six names means the memorial continues to develop as historical research identifies officers whose deaths meet the criteria for recognition.

Why was this year’s memorial service particularly poignant?

Christine Fulton, who co-founded the Scottish Police Memorial Trust in 2003, described the annual gathering as a special occasion for reflection.

Fulton established the trust alongside her personal connection to police remembrance. Her husband, Pc Lewis Fulton, was killed while on duty in Glasgow in 1994.

Speaking about the event, Fulton said:

“This is always a special event to attend as we take time to reflect on our officers who have died.”

She also referred to the recent tragedy involving the Cleveland Police officers and said the event had reinforced the importance of remembering officers who died in service.

Fulton said:

“Following last week’s tragic event in Cleveland, we are all aware of the importance of remembering and paying tribute to our officers.”

She added:

“This year’s service will be even more poignant than normal.”

Her comments reflected the connection between remembrance ceremonies and recent policing tragedies. The deaths of Clough and Blades had brought the dangers faced by officers into renewed focus for colleagues across the country.

The annual ceremony consequently served both as a commemoration of historical losses and as an expression of solidarity with families and colleagues dealing with more recent deaths.

What did Scottish Justice Secretary Neil Gray say about fallen officers?

Scottish Justice Secretary Neil Gray also paid tribute to officers who have died while serving their communities.

Gray said police officers put themselves in harm’s way every day to protect the public and acknowledged that, in some cases, their service results in the ultimate sacrifice.

According to the supplied report, Gray said:

“Every day police officers put themselves in harm’s way to keep communities safe. For some, tragically, that means paying the ultimate sacrifice.”

He described the Scottish Police Memorial Trust service as an important opportunity to reflect on the courage, dedication and selflessness of officers who died while on duty.

Gray also emphasised the debt owed to fallen officers and their families, recognising that the consequences of an officer’s death extend well beyond the individual.

He said:

“The Scottish Police Memorial Trust service provides an important opportunity to reflect on the courage, dedication and selflessness of those who have died on duty, and to recognise the profound debt of gratitude we owe to them and their families.”

Gray concluded by highlighting the wider importance of public service and support for people who undertake dangerous roles.

He said:

“The commitment to public service and to protecting others who serve is an enduring example to us all.”

What does the Scottish Police Memorial represent?

The Scottish Police Memorial serves as a permanent place of remembrance for officers who died while carrying out their duties.

Its records span more than two centuries, beginning with the first known death in 1812. The memorial includes officers from Police Scotland, British Transport Police, the Ministry of Defence Police and forces that preceded the current organisations.

Its role is not simply to preserve names. The annual service provides an opportunity for colleagues, families, friends and public officials to acknowledge the personal cost associated with police service.

The addition of six historical names this year further demonstrates the memorial’s continuing role in documenting police history.

Those names represent former police forces in Edinburgh, Aberdeenshire, Dunbartonshire and Lanarkshire and relate to officers who died on duty between 1815 and 1966.

The memorial therefore brings together generations of officers, allowing recent tragedies to be remembered alongside deaths that occurred many decades ago.

How does the A66 tragedy connect with wider police remembrance?

The deaths of Clough and Blades became an important part of this year’s remembrance because the two officers died while carrying out their policing duties.

Their marked armed response vehicle was struck by a car travelling in the wrong direction on a dual carriageway. The circumstances resulted in the deaths of both Cleveland Police constables.

Farrell’s decision to specifically mention the two officers during the Scottish memorial service demonstrated how police deaths can resonate beyond the force and region where an officer served.

Her description of their deaths as having “resonated across the UK policing family” reflected the shared sense of loss among police forces.

The tribute also underlined the unpredictable dangers associated with responding to emergencies. Police officers routinely operate in circumstances where risks can develop quickly, including while travelling to incidents or protecting members of the public.

The remembrance service placed the A66 tragedy within this wider understanding of policing, while maintaining a focus on the individual officers, their families and their colleagues.

What message did Police Scotland give to families of fallen officers?

The central message from Farrell was one of solidarity with families, friends and colleagues affected by police deaths.

She emphasised that the policing community has a responsibility to support people who have experienced loss and to continue remembering officers who died while serving the public.

Her remarks also acknowledged the role played by families and loved ones in supporting officers during their careers.

By recognising this support, Farrell broadened the tribute beyond the officers themselves. The sacrifices associated with policing can affect entire families, particularly when an officer dies while on duty.

The service provided a formal setting for that recognition, with wreaths laid at a memorial carrying the names of hundreds of officers.

Farrell’s remarks about officers answering calls for help 24 hours a day, seven days a week also reinforced the continuous nature of policing responsibilities.

Her tribute to Clough and Blades was therefore part of a wider message recognising both fallen officers and those who continue to serve.

What happened during the Scottish Police Memorial service?

The remembrance ceremony included a service led by Reverend Ann Purdie, followed by a minute’s silence for officers who died while on duty.

Families and friends of fallen officers attended alongside Farrell, Gray and other members of the policing and public-service community.

Wreaths were laid at the memorial as a visible mark of remembrance.

The ceremony also recognised the six officers whose names were newly added to the memorial this year. Their deaths occurred between 1815 and 1966, covering a period when several of the forces represented on the memorial operated under different names and structures.

The Scottish Police Memorial Trust, co-founded by Christine Fulton in 2003, continues to provide a focus for annual remembrance.

Fulton’s own connection to the memorial movement comes from the death of her husband, Pc Lewis Fulton, who was killed while on duty in Glasgow in 1994.

Her comments at this year’s service highlighted the emotional significance of the gathering and the renewed importance of remembrance following the deaths in Cleveland.

Why does the remembrance matter to the UK policing community?

The service brought together historical remembrance and contemporary policing concerns.

For Police Scotland, the event provided an opportunity to remember officers who died in Scotland while also expressing solidarity with colleagues elsewhere in the UK.

For the families of fallen officers, the ceremony offered a public recognition of the individuals they lost and the service they provided.

For serving officers, the memorial stands as a reminder of the risks associated with policing and of the responsibility carried by those who respond when communities need assistance.

Farrell’s remarks about officers moving towards danger during times of crisis reinforced that message.

The tribute to Clough and Blades also showed that police remembrance extends beyond individual forces. Their deaths in Cleveland were acknowledged at a Scottish ceremony because the loss of serving officers is felt across the wider policing community.

The memorial’s 356 names represent that long-standing connection between generations of officers and the communities they served.
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What is the significance of adding six historical names this year?

The addition of six names demonstrates the continuing effort to ensure that officers who died in earlier periods are properly recognised.

The six officers died while on duty between 1815 and 1966 and were connected with former constabularies in Edinburgh, Aberdeenshire, Dunbartonshire and Lanarkshire.

Their inclusion adds further historical depth to the memorial, which already contains names dating back to the early 19th century.

The process also reinforces the principle that remembrance is not restricted by how recently an officer died.

Each name represents an individual who lost their life while performing police duties, and the memorial provides a permanent place where those sacrifices can be acknowledged.

The six additions were therefore an important part of this year’s ceremony alongside the tribute to more recent losses.

What is the wider message from Scotland’s police remembrance service?

The wider message from this year’s service was one of remembrance, solidarity and recognition of public service.

Jo Farrell used the ceremony to honour Clough and Blades while extending condolences to their families, friends and colleagues. She also recognised the continuing risks faced by serving officers across the UK.

Christine Fulton highlighted the importance of remembering those who died and described this year’s event as particularly poignant following the Cleveland tragedy.

Neil Gray stressed the courage, dedication and selflessness of officers and recognised the debt owed to them and their families.

Together, the remarks underlined the purpose of the Scottish Police Memorial Trust’s annual service: to ensure that officers who died while serving their communities remain remembered.

The ceremony also demonstrated how police remembrance connects present-day tragedies with the history of policing in Scotland.

With 356 names now recorded from Police Scotland, British Transport Police, the Ministry of Defence Police and their antecedent forces, the memorial represents more than two centuries of service and sacrifice.

The tribute to Tom Clough and Matthew Blades consequently formed part of a wider act of remembrance, ensuring that their deaths were recognised alongside those of officers from previous generations.

As the policing community continues to face risks while responding to emergencies, the service reaffirmed the importance of supporting officers, their families and colleagues while preserving the memory of those who died on duty.