Fallen police officers to be honoured with special funeral service

A Queensland town plans to throw back to the “olden days” as a mark of respect for slain police officers Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold.

A funeral service to honour the two slain Queensland police officers has been announced for next week.

Constables Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold will receive full police honours at the service, which will be held at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Wednesday at 10am.

The two police officers were killed in an ambush in regional Queensland on Monday after responding to a missing persons call at a property in Wieambilla in the state’s Western Downs region.

Constable McCrow, 29, and Constable Arnold, 26, were killed in cold blood by a trio of shooters, police said.

Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll leaves a card at a tribute to fallen police officers Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold outside Chinchilla Police Station on Tuesday. Picture: David Clark / NCA NewsWire

Two fellow officers, constables Keely Brough and Randall Kirk, were able to escape and have both since been released from hospital.

A neighbour to the Wieambilla property, Alan Dare, was also killed after he went to check on the residents, having heard gunshots and seen smoke rising from a fire.

A GoFundMe for the good Samaritan has raised more than $70,000 for Mr Dare’s widow, Kerry.

Graham Stewart, from the nearby Western Downs town of Brigalow, told NCA NewsWire that community members were already planning to line the streets of Chinchilla on the days of each funeral, regardless of where they occur.

Brigalow resident Graham Stewart has been attending the Chinchilla Police Station every day to pay his respects. Picture NCA NewsWire / Aisling Brennan

“In the olden days here, when someone died and the funeral would come through, people would all shut their shop and stand out the front,” Mr Stewart said.

“We’re trying to get that to happen. I’ve spoken to a few shopkeepers and they agree with the idea.

“No matter where they’re getting buried at that time, we’ll all shut the shops and stand in the street out of respect.”

The three offenders, Nathaniel, Gareth and Stacey Train, were all shot dead by police during a siege lasting six hours.

Queensland Police Commissioner Katrina Carroll said the attack was an “unimaginable tragedy”.

Constable Matthew Arnold was a man of integrity. Picture: Supplied

“Those officers did not stand a chance. The fact that two got out alive is a miracle,” she said.

“Both under 30 years of age. Both had wonderful careers and lives ahead of them.”

Constable Arnold’s triplet sister, Hayley, said she had felt “physical heartbreak pain” since she was told he had been killed.

“There are no words to express our loss,” Ms Arnold wrote on social media.

“I can’t begin to explain the love and bond we had. As triplets, we were born together and were meant to grow old together.”

Constable Rachel McCrow was a beautiful person and kind soul, her former partner said. Picture: Facebook

Constable McCrow’s former partner, Luke, told local newspaper the Country Caller she would “do anything for you”.

“I’m absolutely shattered and I don’t just speak for myself but I speak for everyone because Rachel was just a beautiful person,” he said.

“You can’t take that away from her and she just didn’t deserve this at all.

“She was always there to listen, always there to have fun – just a really kind soul and just her as an overall person I think’s hard to come by.”

Originally published as Fallen police officers to be honoured with special funeral service