DOZENS of police officers joined family and friends at a service today to remember Special Constable Glenn Goodman, 20 years after he was shot dead by an IRA terrorist on the A64 near Tadcaster.

Amongst the congregation at St Mary’s Church, Tadcaster, were Glenn’s parents Brian and Margaret and his son Tom.

Temporary Chief Constable Tim Madgwick told the congregation that Glenn’s murder had rocked the force, his family and the wider community.

“Glenn had hoped to join the regular police and had served as a special for only a few months,” he said.

“Glenn was a happy, likeable, enthusiastic 37-year-old. On the evening of 6 June 1992, he went out on one of his first patrols with a regular officer, PC Sandy Kelly. He put in extra hours that night and it was almost 4 o'clock in the morning of 7 June when the two officers made a routine check on a car.

“The car turned out to contain two IRA terrorists. They shot at the officers and both men were badly wounded. Glenn died later on that Sunday evening. PC Kelly spent many weeks in hospital and has since retired from the force.”

He said Special Constable Goodman's tragic death was an extreme case, but every day, especially on weekend evenings, thousands of Special Constables were on duty alongside their regular colleagues, dealing with exactly the same sort of incidents and facing the same challenges and dangers.

Force Chaplain, the Reverend Simon Rudkin, said Glenn had paid the ultimate price for wanting ’to make a difference.’ He said: “We can wonder at and, perhaps, be grateful for such instances of courageous and selfless service.”

Mr Goodman was later presented with the insignia from the uniform his son was wearing on the night he died.

* PC Kelly was unable to attend the service because of illness. He told The Press he had recently undergone a major back operation and was still recuperating but said he did intend to attend a national police memorial service taking place at York Minster in September.