The first may have been because I have had a close relationship with police in NSW and Victoria from the days when I was a clerk of courts with the NSW Attorney-General’s Department.

The second is possibly because of the tie-up with my Christian name — the day is always held on St Michael’s Day, who is regarded as the patron saint of police all over the world.

But the real reason was more likely to be that he was short of staff.

It didn’t matter. I was just glad he did.

Technically, National Police Remembrance Day — which is about honouring all those officers who have died in the line of duty — is today, which is also St Michael’s Day.

But it is the practice to move the church service to the Friday before the day if it falls on a weekend, due to logistical issues within the forces.

But that made yesterday’s service at St Matthew’s, Albury, no less emotional; with serving and retired officers, the families of officers, a couple of soldiers and members of the community generally, attending.

The service is ecumenical in every sense of the word and is held in Albury or Wodonga on a rotational basis.

Yesterday’s service was led by Archdeacon Peter MacLeod-Miller of St Matthews and the local police chaplains, Fr Kevin Flanagan, of Sacred Heart in North Albury, and Fr Dennis Crameri, parish priest of the Wodonga parish.

In practice, National Police Remembrance Day involves Australasia and the south-western Pacific and also remembers, on a local basis, those in the police forces who have passed away over the past 12 months.

It was certainly an emotional experience for all involved, guaranteed to be made even more so by the presence of a piper and a bugler.

If their work, on such a sombre occasion, does not move you close to tears, then you must have a heart of stone.

And the presentation of the ceremonial police hats of both states and the entrance of the flag party added the symbolism that such occasions deserve.

During the course of the ceremony and the readings from the gospels and the addresses given, a theme kept coming through.

Words such as service, commitment, justice, compassion and expressions such as walking the line between good and evil.

Both Archdeacon MacLeod-Miller and Fr Flanagan called for the media to be more appreciative of the work the police forces do, with the former making the point: “We never think of the soldier until the enemy is at the gate” and relating how the “angels in blue” had come to his assistance twice on Thursday night.

“It seems to me the police are always having to clean-up problems created by poor government policy in relation to things such as mental health issues, welfare, indigenous and other matters,” he said.

“Then not only do they not receive any thanks but are often criticised.”

I am reading a book called The Media We Deserve by David Salter which has a real dip at the fourth estate.

If I was to write a book on the police forces of this country, particularly NSW and Victoria, perhaps I would entitle it, The Fine Police Service We Enjoy — But Don’t Always Deserve.

A service whose members we can never say “thank you” to enough.