A police memorial to remember officers killed in the line of duty was unveiled at the weekend.

The small ceremony took place outside police headquarters in Douglas, which was attended by descendants and relatives of those remembered as well as current officers.

Lieutenant Governor Sir John Lorimer formally unveiled the memorial headstone. Chief Constable Gary Roberts also attended and gave a speech.

He told the Isle of Man Examiner: ‘The death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II rightly brought considerable focus to the importance of public service.

‘Police officers view the concept of service as being at the very heart of what they do.

‘It has taken much too long to establish a permanent memorial for those officers who gave their lives while serving the community, so this unveiling ceremony is important, not just for the Constabulary, but also for the families of those who died in traumatic circumstances and the people of the island as a whole.’

Police historian Dean Johnson said: ‘A very proud moment when the long awaited for and much anticipated memorial to officers of the Isle of Man Constabulary who have been killed in the line of duty was formally unveiled by His Excellency, The Lieutenant Governor.

‘The moving and poignant service was well attended by many family members of the five officers whose names are on the memorial as well as retired and current members of the constabulary and members of the public.

‘Thanks to everyone that contributed to making it a success, most especially to the family members of those who had lost their lives serving the Manx community.’

The memorial headstone has been funded by the Isle of Man Police Federation.

It remembers Chief Constable John Craige and Constable John Wright, who both died on December 28, 1852 as a result of the Kitterland explosion – a disaster which occurred after The Brig Lily foundered near the coast of the Calf of Man.

The two policemen, among 29 others killed, had been guarding the wreck when its gunpowder cargo detonated in a massive explosion.

It also memorialises Sergeant Jack Cretney, who was killed in the Winter Hill air crash of February 27, 1958, while he was travelling on police business, Constable Gordon Black, who was killed on January 5, 1966, while riding a motorcycle on patrol at South Cape, Laxey, and Constable Denis Hamer, who died on September 7, 1976, after being struck by a motorcycle while carrying out road closure duties at the 1976 Manx Grand Prix.

A memorial plaque to 26-year-old Constable Hamer was unveiled in February, at Union Mills Methodist Chapel, near the site of his death. His nephew had got in touch following an appeal to trace the officer’s family by the Isle of Man Constabulary Historian.

PC Hamer had previously served with the Lancashire Constabulary for six years, and had only served in the island for around a year before his death.