A policeman who launched a campaign to collect fellow officer’s epaulettes in tribute to hero PC Andrew Harper has been sent 15,000 from around the world.
PC Stuart Roberts, 47, a forensic collision investigator at Northamptonshire Police, has been sent donations from Russia, Sudan, New Zealand and the Falklands.
He came up with the moving idea that has now turned into a global movement after leaving his own at the scene of PC Harper’s killing.
He died on on August 15 last year while responding to a burglary call-out near the village of Sulhamstead, Berkshire.
Workers from all emergency services are now sending in their collar numbers in memory of colleagues who have fallen in the line of duty.
Pc Stuart Roberts, 47, a forensic collision investigator at Northamptonshire Police, has been sent up to 15,000 epaulettes from across the world. Pictured here is Russia, Sudan, New Zealand and the Falklands. Pictured here is about 1,000 different arm numbers, from firefighters, the ambulance services, the police, army and navy and air force
The vast collection includes epaulettes from all over the world. Pictured here are epaulettes from the Royal Navy, the Met Police, Welsh Police, the South Australia Police Force and one from the South Australia ambulance service. PC Roberts has 15,000, and more are still being sent
The collection includes police badges from around the world. Pictured here are some of the badges sent from officers in the US, including those from most major cities, like Boston, San Diego, Philadelphia, Seattle, New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Los Angeles
So far PC Roberts has been sent 15,000 epaulettes (pictured, just a small part of his collection showing police badges) from across the world. He has sparked a global movement after setting up a campaign to pay tribute to PC Andrew Harper who was killed on duty
Police officers from across the UK have sent in their epaulettes (pictured) in tribute to PC Andrew Harper, which will be used to create a lasting memorial to the fallen officer. He was killed on duty when he responded to a burglary in Sulhamstead in Berkshire in August last year
Some of the epaulettes sent to PC Roberts from the military, including the army, navy and air force. Other seen here include the Royal Military Police, The International Security Assistance Force – a NATO-led military mission in Afghanistan
Some of the epaulettes sent from Australia, including the South Australia Police and the South Australia Ambulance Service. PC Roberts is planning to create an artwork of the epaulettes once he decides to stop taking the donations and also hopes to display them in a museum
He has even received one from the Metropolitan Police’s commissioner Cressida Dick.
PC Roberts is planning to create an artwork of the epaulettes once he decides to stop taking the donations and also hopes to display them in a museum.
He said: ‘Sometimes, tragically, people lose their life in the line of duty.. It’s for anybody who wears an epaulette, essentially.
‘Over the decades and generations there has been a healthy rivalry between the emergency services.
‘But, when it comes down to it, we do stand side by side, shoulder to shoulder. We work day in, day out directly alongside each other.
PC Stuart Roberts, 47, (pictured) a forensic collision investigator at Northamptonshire Police, has been sent donations from Russia, Sudan, New Zealand and the Falklands
PC Roberts is planning to create an artwork of the epaulettes once he decides to stop taking the donations and also hopes to display them in a museum. He wants to create a lasting memorial for PC Harper (pictured) who was killed on duty in August last year
Pictured here are police epaulettes sent from Belgium and Germany. Since PC Roberts launched the campaign as a memorial for PC Harper he has seen 15,000 sent to him, and it has become a global movement
All members of the ‘protective services’ have joined the campaign, including members of the UK’s Border Force
‘We are one big family. I’ve had contributions from all over the world – contributions from people who have lost their fathers, mothers, brothers.
‘I’ve lost count but it’s probably about 15,000. They have just been coming in – they’re still coming in.
‘It’s been great. The support I have had has been amazing.
‘We planned to finish in December but we’ve extended so no one gets left behind. My chief constable if fully behind it, which has been fantastic.’
PC Roberts decided to leave his own epaulettes at the scene of PC Andrew Harper’s death after realising he couldn’t take a traditional tribute on his bike.
Some of the badges sent from abroad, including from Quebec in Canada, Texas, Louisiana and Miami in the US, Durban in South Africa, and Queensland in Australia
PC Roberts decided to leave his own epaulettes at the scene of PC Andrew Harper’s death after realising he couldn’t take a traditional tribute on his bike. PC Roberts tweets out pictures of many of the donations @AddShoulders. PC Roberts is planning to create an artwork of the epaulettes once he decides to stop taking the donations and also hopes to display them in a museum
These were sent from Russia with a note that read: ‘I will be glad if you accept these two pairs of my police colnels epaulettes for your collecton to commemorate fallen brother in arms Pc Harper
He said: ‘I live about an hour up the road. I went to the scene but couldn’t carry things like flowers.
‘But I wanted to leave something so I left one of my epaulettes in a clear perspex box.
‘Loads of people then commented [online] saying how personal it was. So I thought: ‘We can collect loads for Andrew’.
‘The Facebook group was how it all started. Andrew was the catalyst but the idea has very much mushroomed.’
PC Roberts has enlisted the help of artist Sam Bailey to create a drawing once the request for donations has finished.
PC Roberts came up with the moving idea that has now turned into a global movement after leaving his own at the scene of PC Harper’s killing. He died on on August 15 last year while responding to a burglary call-out near the village of Sulhamstead, Berkshire. Workers from all emergency services are now sending in their collar numbers in memory of colleagues who have fallen in the line of duty
Health service workers have also been sending in their donations, including those from the St John Ambulance, South Central Ambulance Service and the London Ambulance Service. There is also a donation pictured here from the Prison Service
She previously sketched every member of the British armed forces who lost their life in the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts.
PC Roberts added: ‘She happens to be one of the art teachers at the school my children went to.
‘We got chatting at a parents’ evening and it was like a lightbulb moment. We want to create all the different colours to create something to remember..’
PC Roberts tweets out pictures of many of the donations @AddShoulders.
It comes after Pc Harper’s widow said she wishes he ‘had been a little less brave’ as she collected a posthumous award in his honour.
Grieving Lissie Harper, who had only been married to the police constable for four weeks when he died last year, branded Andrew ‘amazing’ in a heartbreaking tribute.
Grieving Lissie who had only been married to the police constable for four weeks when he died, branded Andrew ‘amazing’ in a heartbreaking tribute. She’s pictured collecting award, left, and with PC Harper on their wedding day in July (right)
She was speaking as she accepted a posthumous award on 28-year-old Andrew’s behalf on Tuesday.
Lissie, now 29, said: ‘Andrew wanted to be a police man since he was a little boy, fuelled with enthusiasm and a contagious love for adventure that never left him when he grew into adulthood.
‘I think if you were to have asked Andrew what the most important thing about being a police officer was, he would say protecting the innocent from harm and being the barrier of strength and accountability against the guilty.’
She added: ‘I wish more than you could ever know that I wasn’t standing up here accepting this acknowledgement on behalf of Andrew, I wish in so many ways that he had been just a little less brave.
‘But then he wouldn’t be the amazing person that he was. The silent protector going about his job without expectation or recognition.’
Earlier this month, Henry Long, 18, pleaded guilty to Andrew’s manslaughter and conspiracy to steal a quad bike, but denied murder at the Old Bailey.
He is due to go on trial in March alongside two 17-year-old boys who are accused of manslaughter and conspiracy to steal. They both deny the charges.