More than 420 serving and retired police will today embark on an 830km motorcycle ride to honour their fallen colleagues.
The Wall to Wall Ride for Remembrance – now in its 14th year – will see the convoy travel from the Victoria Police Memorial on St Kilda Road to the National Police Memorial in Canberra.
More than 2000 riders from police forces across Australia will converge for the national commemoration tomorrow.
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton will this year pass the legacy baton to brother and sister legatees Josh and Sam Paoli, aged 16 and 21.
The siblings are taking part in the two-day ride in memory of their father retired Sergeant Marco Paoli, who died in 2021 after a long illness.
Sergeant Paoli, 62, served with Victoria Police for 32 years. In 1988 he received the Victoria Police Valour Award for displaying exceptional bravery having wrestled a gun from a man who shot a child at Sandringham.
The Wall to Wall Ride for Remembrance has raised more than $314,000 for the not for profit Victoria Police Legacy since it began in 2009.
The money is used to provide support for police members and their families who have lost a loved one.
This year’s ride contingent will gather for a special ceremony at 7am before departing for an overnight stay in the NSW town of Merimbula.
The next day they will make their way to Canberra for the national commemoration with police colleagues from all jurisdictions where Josh and Sam will lay the legacy baton at the National Police Memorial.
To donate to the ride and learn more about Victoria Police Legacy visit policelegacyvic.org.au.
Quotes attributable to Chief Commissioner Shane Patton:
“The huge turnout for this year’s ride shows that no matter how much time has passed we will never forget those police who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
“We honour them, we salute them and we will always be there for those they have left behind.
“The Wall to Wall ride also shines a light on Victoria Police Legacy which does such an extraordinary job supporting the police community in times of tragedy.
“There’s nothing stronger than the bond of the police family and we look forward to uniting with police colleagues from across the nation for this important event.”
