Honour recognises police officers who died on duty

PC Gina Rutherford and PC Glen Howe both died while on duty with South Yorkshire Police

Two South Yorkshire Police officers who died while on duty have been recognised with the Elizabeth Emblem.

The award, which recognises the sacrifices made by public servants who have lost their lives while on duty, will be given to the families of PC Gina Rutherford and PC Glen Howe.

Barnsley officer PC Rutherford, 25, died from drowning after her patrol car skidded on ice and crashed into the River Dearne in February 1994.

PC Howe, 48, died in a fatal road traffic collision when he was responding to an emergency incident on 24 October 2008.

'Enduring debt'

The Elizabeth Emblem was introduced in 2024 as a civilian equivalent of the Elizabeth Cross.

The design of the emblem includes a rosemary wreath - a symbol of remembrance - around the Tudor Crown.

It is inscribed with the words "For A Life Given In Service" and has the name of the person it commemorates on the reverse.

Deputy Chief Constable Sarah Poolman said the award was a "fitting honour to recognise the sacrifices" of both officers.

She said it served as an "an important reminder of the dangers and potential harm police officers confront every day on duty in order to keep the public safe".

She added: "This national recognition is thoroughly deserved and it is the perfect way to honour their memory and their service as officers for South Yorkshire Police."

The Elizabeth Emblem was introduced in 2024 as a civilian equivalent of the Elizabeth Cross

South Yorkshire Police last year installed a memorial bench dedicated to PC Rutherford outside Wombwell Police Station to mark the 30th anniversary of her death.

In the same year the force also unveiled a memorial stone in honour of PC Howe near to where the fatal collision took place.

Announcing the list of 106 recipients of the Elizabeth Emblem, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden said: "We owe an enduring debt to the public servants who give their lives to protect others.

"The Elizabeth Emblem is a reminder not just of the ultimate price their loved ones have paid in service of our communities, it is a lasting symbol of our national gratitude for their incredible sacrifice."