Dad of Gladstone police officer organises memorial for Qld shooting victims at East Shores

The father of a Gladstone police officer has opened up about the gut-wrenching reason he was driven to organise a service to honour the constables murdered in Wieambilla.

The father of a Gladstone cop was so distraught by the cold-blooded murder of two Queensland police constables he organised a memorial in his own community so he could grieve without being alone.

Chris Bird said as a parent of a Queensland police officer, he was sickened by the news Constables Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold were murdered during a seemingly routine missing person’s inquiry at a Wieambilla property last week.

After learning the slain officers were set to be honoured at a public memorial service in Brisbane, Mr Bird began making phone calls to see how the Gladstone community could pay its respects.

Dozens of local residents, as well as emergency services officers gathered at GPC’s East Shores to watch a live stream of the memorial service. Picture: Supplied

“It started quite selfishly. I just knew I couldn’t be alone on Wednesday during the service, I just needed to be with my community,” Mr Bird said.

“All parents know that sickening feeling when your children are in harm’s way, and this emotion gripped my stomach and didn’t really leave me until after the service.”

Mr Bird called the council earlier in the week to see if there was a local event and started to make inquiries about organising something at East Shores.

Chris Bird, the father of a serving Gladstone police officer, was instrumental in organising the gathering at East Shores on Wednesday morning. Picture: Supplied

He said Gladstone Ports Corporation staff were more than happy to facilitate a public livestream and after local police stations and the PCYC were alerted, word travelled fast.

Mr Bird said he was so moved during the service and hoped others benefited from joining together.

“For the past week I’ve spoken to neighbours that have just felt so down and impacted by the attack and I just thought someone’s got to do something,” he said.

“It was so moving to see emergency services personnel together at East Shores and with the high foot traffic there were times it felt like hundreds of people had gathered to pay their respects.”

Local emergency services personnel gathered and shed tears at the park on Wednesday as they paid respects. Picture: Supplied

Mr Bird said witnessing his own child’s strength and resolve following the Wieambilla killings was impressive “beyond belief”.

“I have always admired their stoicism and professionalism, and their ability to separate work from their personal life, but this past week has felt very different,” he said.

“From what I’ve been told, the blue family are more united and stronger because of this, they have really bonded in the wake of this tragedy.”

More than 100 people, mainly emergency services personnel, gathered at East Shores to watch a live stream of the public memorial held at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Wednesday morning.

Originally published as Dad of Gladstone police officer organises memorial for Qld shooting victims at East Shores