Started in 2009, the ride sees participants travel from across Australia to the memorial in remembrance of police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. The event also acts as a fundraiser for Police Legacy. 

Approximately 2000 riders took part this year, with a contingent of more than 80 setting out from Kiama under cloudy skies. 

“Riders come from all over the country, there’s a group coming from Adelaide and another group who’ve spent the last couple of weeks coming from Western Australia,” Lake Illawarra Local Area Command Inspector Paul Allman said.

“The NSW contingent usually heads out from Sydney to the academy in Goulburn and then to the memorial, but for about the past three years we’ve had a contingent head out from Kiama.

“We’ve got officers from the southern region, so Lake Illawarra, Wollongong, Shoalhaven and from the south coast, we start out with about 100 or so for breakfast, then we have a bit over 80 riders who head out to Goulbourn and then on to Canberra.”

NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione joined Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart and Acting Western Australia Police Commissioner Stephen Brown to lead more than 500 officers from Sydney to the National Police Memorial.

Commissioner Scipione rode a restored Kawasaki Z1000 Mk II, the same model he rode in his early policing career.

He said ride was a special commemorative event, developed by mates to honour our fallen mates.

“Wall to Wall brings the Australian police family together with our friends to honour the sacrifice of fallen colleagues and reflect on the dedicated service of all officers, past and present,” the Commissioner said.

“The ride begins at various locations across the country – each location a sacred place of remembrance for police – where we collect a Wall to Wall baton to deliver to the National Police Memorial.''

During the ceremony in Canberra, the batons are presented by Commissioners (or delegate) of each of the nine policing jurisdictions and the names on the inner scrolls are read out to honour officers who have lost their lives in the past year.

“It is always our hope to remove a blank scroll from the baton. This year, we are thankful our NSW scroll will be blank,” tMr Scipione said.

“We will, however, remember the 252 NSW Police officers who have lost their lives on duty throughout our 152-year history.”

Donations can be made at: http://walltowallride2014.gofundraise.com.au.

Follow the ride: www.facebook.com/pages/Wall-to-Wall-Ride-for-Remembrance

 For more photos, visit kiama.independent.com.au