Murdered policeman Senior Constable David Rixon remembered at memorial service in Tamworth six years after Lorraine Street shooting

Oxley Police District held a short memorial service outside the Tamworth Police Station on Friday morning, where a memorial permanently stands in honour of the fallen officer.

Family, including Senior Constable Rixon’s wife, children and parents as well as friends, stood side-by-side with his fellow highway patrolmen, local policemen and women, officers who investigated the murder and members of the NSW Police Association.

Oxley Superintendent Fred Trench said “six years ago today Senior Constable Rixon went to work”, adding “tragically” he didn’t come home.

“David didn’t go to work to become a hero, but he did that day,” he told the service.

“He fired four shots into the offender and managed to place a handcuff on him.”

Senior Constable Rixon was gunned down while performing a random traffic stop in Lorraine St, West Tamworth, on the morning of March 2, 2012.

Despite desperate efforts of his fellow officers and paramedics, the decorated officer died shortly after.

Colleagues and family members laid flowers at the memorial, before the official flag was lowered to half-mast and a minute silence held in memory of the slain officer.

Superintendent Trench said Senior Constable would be forever remembered.

“[David] is the only officer that I know of to have arrested his own murderer,” he told the service.

“We remember David, always.”