 Ladies and gentlemen, would you please be upstanding for the Queensland Police Service Flag Party. Peace of music fireworks. Dear friends, we come here today to farewell a husband, a father, a son, a brother, uncle, mate and colleague and a brave police officer, Detective Senior Constable Damien Leading. I will leave acknowledgements of individuals to the commissioner for later on in the service but on behalf Damien's wife Sonja and their children Hudson and Grace, these parents, Julie and Stephen, I'd like to thank each and every one of you for your support for being here today because it really means so much and on behalf of the extended family as well I would like to say thank you. Today friends we've got a hard task before us. We are here as the result of an evil act. We're here full of grief, maybe some anger, numbness, probably all of the above. The solemnity of a full police funeral is an outward show of the honour and respect we have for Damien as a police officer who paid the highest price. The eulogies in the service paid tribute to Damien, the husband, father, son and mate. In them we get a glimpse of Damo the man. We're here to pray, to celebrate his life and to mourn our loss. In preparing for this service Sonja gave me some very simple instructions. She said Damo would have wanted a simple and light ceremony. Well I think simple is a little bit beyond us at this point, sorry and that's for light we might have to settle for a mixture of laughter and tears and that's good and that is appropriate for an occasion like this. I would now like to introduce Mark and Warwick to come up to deliver the first of the eulogies today. Good morning Sonja, Hudson, Grace, Jolien, Stephen, Margaret and Gary. The extended family and ladies and gentlemen. Sonja on behalf of the Kuma district detectives, the Kuma Police District, my wife Fezna and my family and I, I thank you for allowing me the opportunity to speak today and the opportunity for all of us to celebrate Damien's life with a full police funeral. I would like to tell you about the Damien I know. The Damien I know is not the triathlete, the Damien I know is not the carpenter, the Damien I know is the hard-working detective named we know as Damo. It was about five years ago when a young redheaded bloke first started relieving in the CRB property team. He was a hard worker who had a distinct dislike for anyone dealing in drugs. Damo immediately showed the qualities that would become his trademark. He was honest, hardworking and loyal to his teammates above anything else. Damo quickly become everyone's mate. He was a sort of bloke you wanted to be around, you wanted to work with and you wanted to become friends with. We recruited Damo into the Gold Coast CRB where he started permanently in the Kuma CRB team. Damo become part of the furniture from the day he started. Damo had a passion. It was to rid the streets of drug dealers. I've never met anyone more ruthless in pursuing these dealers than Damo. It was a daily occurrence to see Damo leading the drug dealer into the watch house. His passion was born out of a desire to make the community safer for his children and everyone's children to grow up in. With such a high work rate you will always spend a lot of time in court. I will forever picture Damo returning from court throwing his brown suit jacket over his desk, leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his head proclaiming another one bites the dust. He was so proud to be keeping the dealers off the streets. In 2009 Damo was one of the original founding members of the Kuma District Detectives Office. From that day Damo took on the role as a senior investigator within our junior team. Despite being asked to do so much with so little he never complained. He just got on with it doing what Damo did best locking up the crooks. He was meticulous with briefs, compassionate with victims and tenacious day in day out. Damo was a quintessential detective although he would very much hate that term. The general public may not have known much about Damo but the local crook sure did. Damo was Kuma District's first plainclothes officer of the year. It was an award judged by his peers that he was uncomfortable with. He didn't seek recognition or seek the spotlight. Damo was the ultimate quite achiever. I will always remember Damo receiving this award at the Christmas party. Damo was only a social drinker but he spent the rest of the day, evening and the next morning drinking from his new trophy. The last man standing he kept reminding us. At the start of every shift Damo would come into my office and explain to me in great detail why his Broncos were better than my team. This would often become a five or six way conversation with with others in the office as we all support different teams. Damo would sit in my office and we would talk about our families. We would talk about the silly things our kids have done recently and we would talk about our future plans. As a blue supporter I was particularly impressed over the past five years with what I would call Damo's Morone tribal dance. I would get about 20 minutes of it after each of Queensland's state of origin victories and we all know there's been a few. Damo loved a good practical joke. He used to take a rubber snake out on searches and hide it in places where he knew you were going to look next. He would laugh for the rest of a day when he saw you jump back three foot. Damo was also widely known in the office as the email bandit. If you would leave your email open he would send an email to as many people as he could with the message call me urgently. Again he would laugh all day as your mobile phone went berserk. Excuse me. Last Sunday night at around 9 p.m. I called Damo before I went to bed. I wanted to remind him that me and Lee had flogged the Broncos. He made excuses. We shared a joke and we both had a good laugh. We only spoke for a couple of minutes. Had I known this would be the last time I'd ever speak to Damo I would have had so much more to say. I would have told him to be safe, to look after himself and to not be so brave. There are so many things I would have told him. I know that if Damo could talk to me now he would say, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Proc, what's this fuss all about? Damo would then ask of his partner and everyone else was okay. Damo would also want to know if the crooks had been caught. The last thing Damo would say to me he said he would have said promise he would take care of Sonia and the kids and he probably would have thrown a go Broncos in there somewhere. Damo, I promise to you mate that we, your police family, will always look after Sonia, Hudson and Grace. Damo your memory will always live on. We will honour you by staying strong and keeping the community safe for your family. Last Sunday night our lives changed forever. Last Sunday night our world stopped. Damian, Damo, Ranga, Fanta Pants. These are just a few of the names our mate was affectionately known as around our office. To many that met Damo they thought he was a quiet shy reserved type of guy. Once you got to know Damo you realised that he was a mischievous pest who loved the practical joke. Damo and I spent many hours comparing stories about his Hudson and my Alice, what the kids had done and where they were at. When Damo spoke about his kids there was always a certain glow about him. You could tell when Damo spoke about his kids how proud he was of them. Damo loved his work but work was a very far distant second to Sonia, Hudson and Grace. We were with Sonia last week when we were looking at one of the thousands of tributes that have been paid to Damo. A lady had left the laminated card which contained a poem which Sonia read. After reading the poem Son said this is Damo. This epitomises who Damo was, how Damo lived his life and the qualities that he strived for. Sonia asked that I share this poem with you today. Go placidly amid the noise and the haste and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly and listen to others, even to the dull and ignorant. They too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others you may become vain or bitter. For always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep you arrested in your own career however humble it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtually there is. Many persons strive for high ideals and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love. For in the face of all the riddy and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Be on the wholesome discipline. Be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars. You have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive him to be, and whatever your labours and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all the sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful, strive to be happy. A hero is described as a man of distinct courage and ability who is admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. Dame A, you are our hero. And I know how much you would have hated all this attention, but you are a hero to all the nation. Most importantly, mate, we will ensure that Hudson and Grace will grow up to know what a hero their data was. Dame A, you can now rest in peace, my mate, with the knowledge that we will take care of Sonia, Hudson and Grace. We will miss you. I will miss you, mate. Now I'd like to invite Tracey and Tim to come up and say a few words. Last time I was privileged enough to speak on Sonia and Damien's behalf. Was that their wedding? None of us have ever thought the next time that I would speak on their behalf would be at his funeral, at Damo's funeral. I record the time that I met Damo when he started flatting with Sonia at their broad beach apartment. It wasn't very long before Sonia told me that she had started to date Damo. I recall my response to her being something like, oh, bugger. Now who am I going to get to perv on at the gym? Damo had such a way with words. Sonia mentioned that when Damo asked her out, he said to her something like, I like your cat. Sorry, I got that wrong. I like you and your cat likes me, so how about it? Obviously, Sonia couldn't resist such eloquence. As well as Damo having a way with words, he was also quite the romantic. I remember a camping trip that we went to at Broom's Head and Damo and Sonia had to cut it short. Damo told everyone there that he, they had to leave early because they had caught the following day, so off they went unbeknownst to us all. Next morning he got her up nice and early, made sure she had something warm and took a hot air ballooning and that's where he proposed. And like I said at their wedding, nice work, Damo. What was she going to do? Bail out. Damo was very accommodating to Sonia and us girls. He always suffered to a degree as a result of our girly get-togethers, I'm sure. He was our drinks boy and our taxi if we ever needed one. Damo commented several times that coming home to our girly get-togethers was like having a house full of teenage girls. Other than that, he never complained and in fact, I think he actually enjoyed all the gossip that he learned about. However, this kind of carry-on was not one-sided as there are many times where Damo was the one that needed to lift home after it nights out with the boys, which often only meant about three beers for Damo. On occasions, his big nights out resulted in him sleeping outside on the deck because for some reason he couldn't find his way back into the house. Damo's carpentry skills was something that many of us admired. He was always building something or renovating around either his and Son's house or other people's houses. I always loved visiting their place because I always knew that I had a new addition to admire. He was quite the handyman and he would often surprise Sonia with his renovations. One recently spoken of by a mutual friend was at Sonia and Damo's old house. He built platform-type steps from the house down to the roadway. So it's a bit of a long platform or short step, platform step, platform step kind of thing. The only problem was that some of those steps were this high, some of those steps were this high. So unless you were really paying attention, chances were you might actually take a tumble. But in Damo's defence, I personally believe that the people that were stumbling down them were stumbling down them because of something in their water rather than Damo's handiwork. One of Damo's most recent renovation surprises that Sonia informed me about was their retaining wall at their new house made of large rocks. Sonia being the support of wife that she always is replied, oh that's great hun, but how are we going to pay for that? Damo was a great carpenter but it was when he joined the police service he found his true calling as an exceptional police officer. Damo's life as a police officer began in 2003. This career choice wasn't just a job for Damo, it was his career and something that he was very passionate about. As all police officers do, Damo began his career in general duties and then progressed to the criminal investigation branch. And contrary to popular belief he didn't just spend his time drinking coffee and shuffling paper, or so he told us anyway. There was something else in Damo's life that he felt very passionate about and that was his love for his beautiful wife Sonia, his son Hudson and his baby daughter Grace. They were by far his proudest, proudest accomplishments in life. Damo was a fan of the simplest things. He loved nothing more than sitting back with a corona watching the footy whilst just kicking back with his kids and wife and family. And now at this point Damo would want me to say go the Broncos. Hudson is Damo's mini me. He would follow his data around the yard helping him wherever he could. Then when little Grace was born Damo's life got even better all over again. From the day she was born he cherished every moment he had with her which included lots of cuddles, every man's favorite changing nappies and bath time. He'd only recently commented on his attempts to feed her breakfast. He would appear that little Grace was a little bit stubborn and would not let Damo feed her. I wonder where that stubbornness could have come from. I could talk for hours about Damo's antics but I think you get the general idea that Damo was not only a great police officer. He was great at everything he did. Most importantly he was a wonderful husband, father, son, brother, uncle and mate. It is with a heavy heart that I found myself before you in these circumstances. With Damo's passing it has highlighted to me the importance of strong family values and mateship. These past days have truly shown the two sides of human nature but with the compassion that the general public has displayed during this horrific time it has rekindled my faith in people. The support and generosity given and shown towards Damian Sonja's children and family is very much appreciated and felt with a warm heart. Damo's legacy will live on through his wife Sonja, son Hudson, daughter Grace and the fond memories of his colleagues, friends and family. Good morning Sonja, my family and training friends send their condolences. I know Damian, the triathlete. Born 17 January 1976 Essex in the United Kingdom, son to Julian Steve, brother to sisters Haley and Shantel. He arrived in Australia at age eight, attending Burley Head State School in Palm Beach, Carumban High. He had a love of sport, all of them I think, particularly soccer, baseball and triathlon. Whilst attending school Damian was employed, appropriately read Rooster. In 1994 Damian commenced his carpentry apprenticeship at Tambourine Mountain. Damian also worked at John Flynn Hospital, reaching the position of Operating Department Assistant. Then Damian's desire to become a police officer was known. Initially unsuccessful in applying for various police forces, including Queensland. Damian undertook study to gain his Diploma of Justice in 2002. Being determined and resilient Damian continued in his quest to become a police officer. He applied to join the West Australian police. He was accepted but declined, feeling that Queensland was now ready for him to join. My earliest memories of Damian are of meeting this skinny red head when I turned up to training at Bond University Pool in the winter of 1997. It was soon clear that this guy was going to give it his all, that he was determined to be as fast as he could be. We joined forces, trained hard, each pushing the other, knowing that come race time he would pay off. It was not uncommon for Damian to leave his best performances on the training ground and suffer during the race. Having not backed off, always wanting to go faster. I can clearly see now that Damian's involvement with the Queensland police force has reversed this trend. As if to emphasise this he became a loving husband to Sonia and a devoted father to Young Hudson and Little Grace. Earlier this year Damian thought I was crazy when I told him I was doing a run across the Sahara in Morocco but even out in the sand dunes during the event lessons learned in those long hours of training together got me home and over the line. I'll miss his smile, his easygoing ways but I know whatever challenge I choose next Damian's spirit of determination will push me along. He was my friend, he was my mate. I'll miss him. Let us pray. Lord as we mourn the death of our brother Damian show us the immense power of your goodness and strengthen our belief that Damian has entered into your presence. We ask this through Christ our Lord Amen. I'd now like to read a passage from the first letter. I'd now like to read a passage from the first letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians. Be ambitious for the higher gifts and I'm going to show you a way that is better than any of them. If I have all the eloquence of men or of angels but speak without love I'm simply a gong booming or a symbol clashing. If I have the gift of prophecy understanding all the mysteries there are and knowing everything if I have faith in all its fullness to move mountains but without love then I'm nothing at all. If I give away that all that I possess piece by piece and if I even let them take my body to burn it but then without love it will do me no good whatever. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love does not come to an end. The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Dear friends I have a reputation for not preaching about fluff. If I'm going to get up and say something I like to know it has got some substance to it. After all I'm a police chaplain. Now a police officer asked me last week as I was preparing for this service what on earth was I going to talk about at Daymo's funeral. Well I answered him I said well I'd like to talk about something positive and he said what could you possibly talk about at that funeral that it'd be positive and I said well I'm going to talk on love and you should listen and look on his face. He's always opened his jaw drop he says Padre that's a bit touchy feely for coppers isn't it? That possibly is but I think it's so so important this topic for us here today and for the police record I'm not going fluffy because I believe real love is something that is so true that it is essential for us to live truly human lives. Well the word love seems to be used by most of us in a lot of different ways. We say we love our football teams. Some might even say they love the Broncos sorry Daymo. A good number of us here today probably say they love a good beer on a cold day or a cold beer on a hot day or a beer any day. We use love so often we love ice cream cats sunsets you name it and someone will say they love it. Now the love that St Paul's talking about in that reading is different to all those other types of love. He calls love a higher gift something above the normal things of life a higher gift that it's something that should penetrate our whole lives that everything we do should come from love. St Paul says no matter what we do how good it seems on the surface if we do it without love then we're nothing at all. Well it seems from that the love is pretty important in God's plan for all of us but what is it what is this thing called love but we know it exists but you can't touch it. There's no little thing in the brain that produces love. It's not something rational it's not part of the intellect. Love is something spiritual so it resides in a person's soul that part of a person that does not die it has no parts so it can't be broken up it lives on forever. Love love never ends love never ends. We Christians believe that human beings are made in the image and likeness of God well you know we can see that when we love when we love we resemble God more closely. Well so where is God in the events of the last week and a half? Well St John in his first letter says anyone who fails to love can never have known God because God is love. So if you want to see where God is working in this world you look for love and then you'll find him. So how can you identify this real love this higher type of love? Well first of all you've got to see does it reach out of a person is it selfless does it want the best for another person that's real love. Love is proven also by a willingness to sacrifice that's real love. Love feels the pain of loss of the beloved that's real love. I think in the events of the last week and a half we've seen a lot of real love. The ancient Greek philosophers sort of thought about it and divided love into all different types and I'd like to go through some of those and and let you see how I believe God is working through love in those different areas. First one brotherly love, philosophy, the love of our common humanity, the love of compassion and empathy for another person even though we might not even know them. It's that love that helps you help a little old lady across the road or that gives to poor people in Africa the common love of humanity. Well Damien's tragic passing I believe has brought this out in our community again. Just look at the tributes the flowers, flowers piling up on police cars can you believe that? But it's happening people going out of their way that are touched to go into a police station to offer condolences. It's something going out. They're making some a willingness to sacrifice they're making little sacrifices sometimes it's donations of money. I've seen a few little letters written by children some effort and you can tell that the public feels the pain of the loss of Damien. So there's real love and gee that's something to be really really grateful for. On Wednesday morning I got to the Gold Coast Hospital about seven o'clock and I got out and I was walking into the hospital and this beautiful nurse rushed up to me and threw her arms around me. She was in tears and she gave me this big hug. I was a bit sleepy before then but I woke up after that and she said I'm so sorry for what is happening. I'm so sorry for Damien complete stranger that dear friends is true love. There's also family love the true love of a family brought together by bonds that are so strong. What happens though in the midst of a tragedy family can get stronger can come together and in the last week I've been privileged to see that. I've seen a family hurt grievously and in the midst of their tears and their anguish rally around to help each other and to come closer through that. That is love that is self-sacrificing love when you're hurting to have still have compassion for others. There is that love and to see family around Damien surrounding him with love that was something truly beautiful. Another type of love is friendship love a bloke way of saying that mates. We've also seen that Damo's mates. We saw Damo's mates at the hospital staying there staying there often for quite a long time. They didn't want to leave and no one was gay enough to try and make them even. Let me tell you that but they stayed there in vigil and they were hurting but again they came together to look after each other in their hurt. That is real love it is real love and even though we go through pain now Damo's mates will be stronger for their friendship love. I'd like to add another type of love. We here often talked about the police family. The family's got to have love so I'll call this one police family love. I might have to copyright this because this is one of mine. When a person becomes a police officer it's generally because they want to make a difference to uphold the law to protect the community or just to lock up crooks. These motives all can be summed up simply by saying that they want to do some good for others good for the community. When a police officer takes their oath or affirmation and holsters a weapon they are aware at least in the back of their minds that they might have to back up those fine motives with sacrifice. Long hours, pressures on family relationships, physical mental injuries and in Damo's case with your life. It's real love isn't it? But a look at the police here today members of Damo's police family you can tell and you can see and you can feel that they are experienced in the pain of loss. That's real love. And the highest form of love is called agape. Total self-sacrificing love. On the front of the Order of Service there's a beautiful quote quote from Jesus Christ from the gospel of John and it says greater love has no man and to lay down his life for his friends. Jesus did it. He gave his life for us out of love because he loved us. Why? So that he could rise again to show us that death is not the end it is but the beginning. It is a beginning and he promises that if you can love to the extent of giving your life he will give you a reward for that love and Damian has done that. So dear friends our faith can help us now. Our faith can help us in knowing that God will bring Damian to himself that he will look after Damian that he will reward Damian and then what about us? Well we need to continue on our pilgrim way and I pray that the love that has surrounded Damian's death may continue in our lives to make the world a better place, a safer place, a more peaceful place. Dear friends life is changed not ended at death. Friends Damian was a bit of pilgrim on this earth. Out of love God created him, out of love God sustained him. God gave Damian to us to be a blessing in our lives by the love he showed for others. Now he has been called home to rest in God's love. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love does not come to an end. With hope in Jesus' promise of eternal life we lift our hearts to God, that God will receive our praise and thanksgiving for the life of Damian. Lord hear us. Let the family and friends of Damian seek comfort and consolation. Let us pray that God will heal their pain and dispel the darkness and doubt that comes from grief. Lord hear us. That all assembled here in faith may be gathered together again in God's kingdom. Lord hear us. That God may welcome to glory our family and friends who have departed this life. Lord hear us. Lord God give her of peace and healer of souls. Hear the prayers of the Redeemer Jesus Christ and the voices of your people whose lives were purchased by the blood of the Lamb. Forgive the sins of all who sleep in Christ and grant them a place in the kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. I now ask our Commissioner Bob Atkinson and Assistant Commissioner Paul Wilson to come forward for the straighten of service and valedictory. Sonja, Hudson, Grace, Damian's parents Julie and Stephen, his sisters Chantel and Hailey. Sonja's parents Gary and Margaret O'Brien. They're extended family and friends. Sonja we thank you for enabling this service today to be a police funeral with full honours. The Queensland Police Service has lost an outstanding officer, a colleague and a friend to many. Damian's family have sustained that loss also but as well a husband, father, son, brother and much more. Although we try words are barely if at all adequate to express the extent of that loss. The Queensland Police Service is greatly appreciative of the outpouring of support for Damian's family and his colleagues from all areas of the community. We acknowledge the tributes, the messages, flowers, donations and the many thousands of people who have and are wearing blue ribbons as a tribute to Damian. We acknowledge the media for their recognition of Damian and the work his colleagues undertake in that regard. We acknowledge the memorial services being held today for Damian at Thursday Island, Cairns, Townsville, Mount Isa, Mackay, Rockhampton, Longreach, Gladstone, Toowoomba, Roma and Canemulla. That support far and wide is enhanced by the presence of all of you here today. And in that regard I'd like to acknowledge the Governor of Queensland Her Excellency, Ms Penelope Wensley, AC and Mr Stuart McCosker. The Premier of Queensland, the Honourable Anna Bly. The Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services, the Honourable Neil Roberts and the former Police Minister, the Honourable Judy Spence. Representing the LNP and State Opposition, Mr Campbell Newnham, Mr Jeff Seney and Mr John Paul Langbrook. The Mayor of the Gold Coast, Councillor Ron Clark and the Lady Marist, Mrs Clark and all federal, state and local government political representatives. Thank you for being here. I also acknowledge all members of the senior executive of the Queensland Police Service and our deputies who are here today, Ross Barnett, Paul Brown and Acting Deputy Commissioner Andy Henderson. Ian Stewart is overseas and cannot be here. And of course the local Assistant Commissioner for the Southeast Region, Assistant Commissioner Paul Wilson. I acknowledge commissioned officers and all members of the Queensland Police Service, our volunteer supporters and retired and former members. I acknowledge the commissioners and their senior officer representatives from all Australian Police jurisdictions who are here today. As well as the Australian jurisdictions we have representatives from New Zealand, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. I acknowledge our police chaplains, in particular today our two officiating chaplains, chaplains Columber Macbeth Green and Graham Ramston. We have many colleagues and supporters. I acknowledge the Director-General and commissioners and our colleagues in the Department of Community Safety, Ambulance, Fire, Corrective Services, Emergency Management Queensland and the State Emergency Service. And again the Australian Defence Force is represented here today by a number of people but primarily by Major-General McSlater. I acknowledge the Presidents of the Queensland Police Union of Employees Ian Leaves and the Queensland Police Commission Officers Union Tony Cross and the Police Union Officials from throughout Australia and New Zealand who are here today. And Ian we also acknowledge the work and support of the Police Union for Damien's family. The Chair of the Crime and Misconduct Commission, members of the Judiciary, those representing government departments and organisations and particularly for us today the management and staff of the Gold Coast Hospital at Southport, members of the community. Again we thank you for your presence here today. This part of the service is the reading of the Statement of Service, the Valedictories. Paul Wilson and I are going to share that role today. Paul will now share with you some thoughts and words of his own and we'll read the Statement of Service and then I'll make some concluding comments. We will then present the Statement of Service to Sonia and soon after that Paul will read the Police Ode. Sonia, Hudson, Grace, Damien's parents, Julie and Stephen, his sisters Chantel and Haley, Sonia's parents Gary and Margaret O'Brien, extended family and friends are gain mysand gear condolences from the entire police family of the southeastern police region. Ladies and gentlemen on this very sad occasion Sonia has asked me and requested that I personally have the privilege to read Damien's Statement of Service. Before I do so I will at Sonia's request acknowledge and publicly thank my staff, the Queensland Ambulance Service Paramedics, the Gold Coast Hospital medical staff for their courageous work and medical treatment provided to Damien and the subsequent support to Sonia and Damien's family. Ladies and gentlemen on Sunday evening the 29th of May 2011 at about 10 30 p.m one of the most serious crimes on the statute was being committed at the Pacific Pines Tavern. Detective Senior Constable Damien Leading and his partner Detective Senior Constable Nicole Jackson led the policing response in the initial attempt at apprehension of offenders and as we now know this exceptional detective was fatally wounded. Nicole you continue to bravely perform your duty at great risk to yourself calling for assistance and providing first aid to Damien in this very dangerous situation on behalf of Sonia family and the community. Thank you. Moments later Cumra District Duty Officer Senior Sergeant Brett McGibbon arrived and immediately took control of the fresh pursuit of the offenders and personally provided first aid to Damien and in the words of the Queensland Ambulance Service paramedics they assisted Brett in providing first aid to Damien. Paramedics Jane Andrews Andrew McClellan and later Clint Peter on behalf of Sonia family community we thank you for what you all did for our Damien. Ladies and gentlemen almost immediately three police crews arrived two General Duty crews and one dog squad Constable Kelly Gantt and Constable Millally Godfrey from the Rang Station without thought for their own safety knowing what had happened to Damien they pursued and detained a person who is now before the court a very short distance away. Ladies well done and thank you. Sergeant Gregory Dawes and First-Year Constable Veet Voshaag from Coomre Police Station also simultaneously arrived with police dog handler Senior Constable Wayne Algy and his police dog Bosun. Again without thought to their own safety Senior Constable Algy and First-Year Constable Voshaag and police dog Bosun pursued the armed person into the adjacent bushland where that person was detained a weaponry club. Gentlemen and Bosun well done and thank you. Bosun will march today with other police dogs. Sergeant Dawes took command of this part of the pursuit and the seven hostages in the tavern were assisted and rain safe. Ladies and gentlemen while this was unfolding other police officers on the Gold Coast and Coomre hear it and physically respond but my excellent staff at the Police Communications Centre at Broadbeach have to sit and listen on the police radio. They took the triple O call from one of the hostages dispatched the responding police and waited for sit rips and their worst fee is unfolded. When they heard Nicole call Code 1 on the police assistance radio. To Sergeant Alex Hindle the Comco in charge police radio operator administrative officer Kerry Hindle call takers AOs Tony Howling and Kim Knot and all other night shift staff there thank you for the excellent job you did and continue to do daily in all the one of the busiest police communications centres in the country. Ladies and gentlemen most of the staff are civilians and have never worked as police officers on the street but they are an integral part of our policing family. To the wonderful and caring staff at the Gold Coast hospital in the accident emergency and an intensive care unit you are purely incredible Sonja family the entire police family and community thank you for what you did today man a very special thank you from Tonya Sonja family to our wonderful police chaplain Conrad Macbeth and to our senior human services officer Melinda Collins who assisted me greatly at the hospital. To the scenes of crime police led by acting Inspector Leon Ward you're also truly incredible thank you for what you did and you do daily in the southeast but ladies and gentlemen when one of our own are involved when police are agestigating matters they continue to provide that professional scientific response the team comprises of police technicians scientists fingerprint and ballistics experts to Leon and your crew thank you. The investigation of this crime was initially led by Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Brokter the officer in charge of the Coomers CIB and CPIU and Damien's colleagues. And as they understand an independent team was immediately brought in under the control of Detective Acton Superintendent Tim Trecise to Mark Tim and Acting Chief Superintendent Dave Hutchison and all the southeast regional detectives and our colleagues from the Homicide Squad State Crime Operations Command a very sincere thank you from Sonja the family for the investigation. Ladies and gentlemen as you know we are your police and we investigate all crime when one of our staff become victims whilst investing that crime you see the current public community support thank you. We know we always have that support to all the southeast regional police and their families particularly Inspector Steve Flurry the district officer from Coomera his inspectors Gary Pettiford Steven Pine Senior Sergeant Andrew Goldolt and the officer in charge of Runaway Police where Sonja is attached Senior Sergeant Murray Underwood the family the entire police family and the community thank you for your professional leadership and support during this very time period especially to you Steve and Mark the district officer and the officer in charge I personally congratulate you and thank you for your leadership and support to Sonja and her family and to your staff. Superintendent Paul Zebar the district officer Gold Coast and his team for preparing today's fine tribute to Damien the management and staff of the Gold Coast Convention Center the Gold Coast City Council and all other persons that have assisted here today a very special thank you on behalf of Sonja Hudson and Grace to the community for their support their generous donations to the Damien leading family appeal thank you all. Also to Mr Ian Leaves the general president of the Queensland Police Union of Employees and all the members for their ongoing support of the police family ladies and gentlemen it is my privilege now to the Statement of Service for Detective Senior Constable Damien Leading registered number 16187 born Essex England the 17th of January 1976 he commenced his 8.4 years of dedicated and loyal policing to the Queensland at the Queensland Police Academy on the 13th of January 2003 and being inducted as a constable after graduation on the 30th of July 2003 performed his first initial training in the Gold Place Police District easily the busiest and the most demanding police district in Queensland if not Australia as far as an introduction to a policing career ladies and gentlemen it doesn't come any tougher or any better the next three years from July 2004 to August 2007 Damien performed duty at the surface paradise police station one of the toughest beats in Queensland and Australia on the 18th of August 2007 Damien fulfilled his next policing dream of becoming a detective and commenced as a plainclothes constable at the Gold Coast criminal investigation branch again at surface paradise as part of the CUMRA allocated team again the busiest and probably the most scrutinised in recent history of detectives in this state but they are like all very hardworking as spoken by mark his officer in charge Damien was an a first-class apprentice detective at surface paradise for the next two years until the 7th of November 2009 when he became a founding member of the new CUMRA districts criminal investigation branch and performed exceptional duties and leadership until his tragic death on the 1st of June 2011 after being fatally shot in the execution's duty while attending to armed holdup in progress with hostages at the pacific tines tavern at 10 30 p.m. on Sunday the 29th of May 2011 ladies and gentlemen plainclothes constables used Damien leading had performed three years in nine months his detective appointment application was being processed as this tragedy unfolded by his superiors and my recommendation the Queensland Police Service Detective appointment board has approved his appointment effective as of the 30th of May 2011 a well-deserved and fine achievement by an exceptional officer ladies and gentlemen exceptional caliber of this officer is further evident by the fact that he received this detective's appointment at three years and nine months the current average for plainclothes constables to receive this most prestigious award is usually in excess of five years at the same time me and Sonja having two children taking parental leave building mates pergolas cubby houses all these mates becoming and continuing to be a superb fit triathlete always a topping the arrest rate worked very hard simply exceptional ladies and gentlemen the ultimate modern-day detective as a result Detective Senior Constable Leading's bravery has been posthumously awarded the Queensland Police Service Valor Award and the Queensland Police Service Medal for Diligent and Ethical Service these two awards along with his detective appointment will be presented to Sonja and family at a future ceremony. Daymo you are a first-class police officer you've developed quickly into a first-class detective son I'm personally very proud of what you did and achieved for the Gold Coast community a place that you loved grew up in worked and live with Sonja Hudson and Grace I'm very sorry for what has happened to you but you have my personal guarantee that Sonja Hudson and Grace will be looked after in the traditional way by the police family son God bless thank you may you rest in peace I will now hand back to the commissioner ladies and gentlemen thank you Paul we've heard some beautiful words today and we're going to hear more later that when our chaplain Columba was talking about why people choose to join the police service I found that particularly interesting because as part of preparing for today I read through Draymond's file and in the very early stages of his career as he was starting out as a recruit one of his assignments was to write an essay on that very topic of why he wanted to be a police officer and this is an extract from what he wrote I believe I can make a difference in the community by upholding laws in the first five years I would like to work the full general side gaining as much experience as possible I would then like to look into a specific area and later in that passage that work he indicated that the place that he wanted to serve if he could was the southeastern region and of course he achieved all that and more and faster than he had predicted he was an outstanding police officer for the bright future that has been stolen from him in providing for the safety and security of the people of Queensland police officers unavoidably put their own safety and security at risk 10 days ago Damien confronted the dangers associated with that risk with unhesitating commitment and courage as Paul has told you Damien has been posthumously awarded the Queensland Police Service Valor Medal that's the highest award we can give to any of our members the criteria for the Valor Award is this an officer who performs an act of exceptional bravery in hazardous circumstances a Damien clearly demonstrated that criteria on the night of Sunday the 29th of May his Valor Medal will be presented later to Sonya but if Damien was still with us those present when he received it would have warmly applauded him and there is no reason why we should not do so today so can i ask you thank you and we acknowledge not just the Valor Award but the life the career and the character and courage of Detective Senior Constable Damien leading and as others have today i'd like to conclude my words by saying something to Damien himself Damien today we pay tribute to you we acknowledge and thank you for your work your your loyalty your dedication your commitment your friendship and support for others your courage and the example of professionalism that you have set we say farewell and we wish you godspeed you serve with honor and we were greatly honored that you chose to serve with us i'd invite you all to be upstanding as we gather together all our thoughts and memories of Damien and longing for the coming of God's kingdom but we will meet him again let's offer our prayer to the father our father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil would you please remain standing for the oath as the sun surely sets dorm will rise it arise for the service above self demands its own prize you have fought the good fight's life race has begun run in peace your reward for eternity begun and we that are left shall never forget rest in peace friend and colleague for the sun has now set we will remember him we will all remember him hasten the dawn with honor he served with honor he served please be seated i'd now like to invite shantel leading and gario brine to come up to say a few words and if any other members of the family would like to come up with them you're more than welcome as kids we live together we thought we loved we cried we did not always show the love inside that we had we shared our dreams and plans and some secrets too all the memories we share it's what bonds me to you we grew to find we have a love that is very strong today it's a love shared by our family that will never fade away you are my brother not by choice but by the nature of our birth we cannot have chosen a better one you are the best for those of you who don't know me i'm shantel deymo's little sister i'd just like to share a few words with you damien teased me every day of my childhood and inspired every day of my adulthood he was the one i would turn to for advice he was my hero my guardian angel i looked up to damien as a father figure he became over the past few years someone that i could confide in someone that i could tell everything to he will not judge me i only make jokes to make the situation lighter as you know damien never did a half job on something whether that be painting a wall making a friend's deck or making the kids new swing set he always made it the way he wanted it and put all his energy into getting it right he did everything out of love my brother the practical joker was always trying to play a prank on someone whether it be a physical practical joke or telling me something that he knew would just stir me right up he was a type of person that can make any situation better damien is in a good place now i know that he is watching over all his family and friends and will be guiding us through life at this moment it is hard to imagine our lives without damien in them our strength this last week has come from each other as a family it has also come from the amazing support we have received from the gold coast community and the assistance we have received from the queen's lamb police service on behalf of damo's family we are overwhelmed and very grateful we are thankful for all the special moments that my brother has left us and with that i know my brother will continue to live on within our hearts and minds good day everybody um historically i never write a speech what comes out of my mouth even though i might have to ask for a few pardons from my friend here today come straight from my heart so instead of actually having a speech i just thought i'd just come along a bit of a chapter damo we often did that at the moment where you're lying damo mate you you can't see where you are i've got absolutely no idea how the hell you pulled this one off buddy normally when you've been here would have been to crusted demons um maybe monster trucks and i did hear a rumor that you did go to the kylemono concert once but uh i don't believe that so mate there's people i'm looking at at the moment mate you've got a massive family here people that i don't know um people i do know who are very very close to us um there's some people here that i've seen on television um look organizing flood stuff that's just been through um the premier i don't think she's even pulled a crowd like this in parlor mate um so you're doing pretty good anyway damo uh quite a few years ago mate um we're living on philip island and uh sign your precious little girl was turning you for your corners in her lives um and she ended up being your flat mate and margaret had come up for a bit of a bit of a break and come back and said oh you know damian is this guy he's got bright red hair and uh and she said i just think there's a bit more going on than just flat mates and as most fathers do you go uh-huh then when i heard the comment before about uh he actually loved that cat that cat was the most vicious damn thing i've ever come across how could you love it anyway damo we've had some great moments mate but uh eventually you uh you asked to join our family um a hell of a decision for me to mate never had a ranger in my team before but uh with our family's background in new zealand there's a uh a multi-term called far now which means family it's a very tight knit group um we look after each other we're allowed you to get into this little group mate and um i'm having a bit of trouble letting it go at the moment things we've often spoke about as i've always mentioned um it's one hell of a way to get out of building a barley hut mate but when it finally gets done you'll be proud of what's going up there um i got quite shocked the other day after all this started to happen and sonja informed me that you've got a plan on the computer to build a coffee table and a cabinet you got to be shitting me mate i think uh i might encourage sonja to go out and actually buy one um the last few days you put us through hell and high water i know when sonja joined the academy that's maya and i have said in the past you know that um yeah one day it's going to happen to somebody that's happening out there but we never expected it to happen to you mate um i've actually thought i was going to get you into a tightens jumper but that never quite happened but the last few days in hospital i guess it's been a good time of reflection for me um i made all the suffering you were going through um please believe good mate that we did the right decision you're in a better place now and uh i guess this is fair well at the moment i know i'm going to join you at some stage um when i do have each to get up there i'll be knocking on the doors looking for the most manicured garden up there um if i'm going to borrow that damn trailer mate i'm sick of coming and getting it when it's full of rubbish and a half flat tire so buddy until then you've made us proud you've made all of our family proud you've made Queensland proud you've made Australia proud you've done what you say it's just a job mate this isn't a job um you've created a life for other people and we thank you with our hearts before i go it's already been said about the police service um i've been absolutely overwhelmed um our family has been overwhelmed with uh the support organising this today um i tried to pay a lot of attention with paul thank you paul um they're trying to keep it our personal see you later for demo i think it's i think we've managed to achieve that um the hospital staff is a paramedic as most people know we always hear about ramping and we hear about the bad things the hospitals but the hospital staff at gold coast hospital you guys are absolute beauties um a very very personal thanks the officers who went out there um who are my colleagues now i've always told damien over damien that um there's no better paramedic and queens than the me so without sort of uh letting you guys flags down um with what you had with what you had to deal with you guys did a fantastic job i couldn't have done any better the big fella upstairs couldn't have done any better so uh thank you one and all everybody and um that's all i can say damien's dad steve has asked me to read this poem on his behalf my biggest fear my biggest fear was to lose my son now i've lost him my fear has gone there's nothing left for me to fear i've lost lost the one i held so dear the worst is over the horror is past the thing i feared most has happened at last no more do i worry no more do i care nothing can hurt when a heart isn't there i've been through hell and survived somehow nothing else can touch me now there's nothing to fear of life to come i lost it when i lost my son we now come to the part of the service where we say our ritual farewell to damien i will we will read those prayers while chaplain ramston will bless damien's casket with holy water and i'd invite you to be upstanding now for those prayers before we go our separate ways let us take leave of our brother damien may our farewell express our affection for him may it ease our sadness and strengthen our hope one day we shall joyfully greet him again when the love of christ which conquers all things destroys even death itself saints of god come to his aid hasten to meet him angels of the lord receive his soul and present him to god the most high may christ who called you take you to himself may angels lead you to the bosom of abraham receive his soul and present him to god the most high eternal rest grant unto damien oh lord and let perpetual light shine upon him receive his soul and present him to god the most high into your hands father of mercies we commend our brother damien in the shore and certain hope that together with all who have died in christ he will rise with him on the last day merciful lord turn toward us and listen to our prayers open the gates of paradise to your servant and help us who remain to comfort one another with assurances of faith until we all meet in christ and are with you and with our brother damien forever amen please be seated now please stand and let us now take our brother damien to his place of rest