POLICE officers across the country are heartened by the public response to the recent high profile A66 crash and efforts to keep the killers of PC Andrew Harper in jail, a Cumbrian policing body has said.
Cumbria Police Federation chairman Ed Russell said more than one million people have signed a petition calling on the Government to prevent the early release of those convicted of the manslaughter of Thames Valley Police officer PC Andrew Harper.
There has also been a huge public response to the deaths of Cleveland Police officers PC Matt Blades and PC Tom Clough, who were killed along with five others in a collision on the A66 on August 22.
Officers Blades and Clough died when a Volkswagen Passat, travelling in the wrong direction, collided with their marked armed response vehicle on the A66 near Middlesbrough in the early hours.
All five occupants of the Volkswagen – Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and 23-year-olds Michael Robert Cahill and Jacob Matusiak, were pronounced dead at the scene.
Mr Russell said: "The support and generosity shown by the public opposing the release of the vile killers of PC Andrew Harper as well as supporting the families of PCs Tom Clough and Matt Blades is humbling.
"Three men doing their best to protect the public cruelly taken from us all, they leave behind a legacy of duty and honour deserve no less.
"Cumbrian officers will continue to put on their boots and do their best despite their hearts breaking, and we thank the public for their warmth and generosity at what is an incredibly dark time in the service."
More than £1million has been raised in memory of PCs Clough and Blades to support their families.
Police federations represent the interests of officers in their area in negotiations about pay and conditions and national policy changes.
They also provide legal advice and representation to officers in misconduct proceedings.
A joint letter from the National Police Chiefs' Council was sent to Prime Minister Andy Burnham on August 11, urging him to halt the early release of Jessie Cole, Henry Long and Albert Bowers.
PC Andrew Harper attempted to apprehend Cole, Long and Bowers for a quad bike theft in 2019 when they fled in a car.
PC Harper had become attached to a strap that was trailing behind the car and was dragged over a mile down the road before dying on the roadside.
The three men found guilty of PC Harper's manslaughter were believed to be eligible for early release under a Government scheme designed to tackle crowding in prisons.
However, recent national news reports suggest that certain types of manslaughter will no longer be included in the early release scheme, meaning that Bowers and Cole will remain in prison.
Number 10 has given no confirmation of this.
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