‘Our hearts bleed blue’: Queensland police officers Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold honoured at memorial

Queensland Police constables Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow have been awarded valour medals at an emotional memorial for the pair who were gunned down in the line of duty.

Hundreds of police officers and thousands of members of the public and political leaders observed a memorial service for the young officers at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Wednesday.

Early-career constables Arnold, 26, and McCrow, 29, were ambushed and shot dead on a property at Wieambilla, west of Brisbane, on 12 December.

They have now been recognised for their bravery, professionalism and dedication and posthumously awarded the Queensland Police Valour Medal, Queensland Police Service Medal, National Police Service Medal and National Medal.

‘Sea of blue’: police arrive for the memorial service to honour officers Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold, killed in Wieambilla last week. Photograph: Jono Searle/AAP

“Matthew and Rachel are colleagues and friends who have been taken from us far too soon,” Queensland police commissioner Katarina Carroll told the mourners.

“Matthew and Rachel created a positive impression on both sworn and non-sworn members of the QPS, members of the community, and touched the lives of countless individuals and families in ways that cannot be expressed in words alone.”

Earlier, police chaplain Jeffrey Baills paid tribute to the constables saying “our hearts bleed blue”.

Constable Arnold was a man with a “broad cheeky smile” who strived to do his best at school and in sport, particularly volleyball, as he grew up in Parkinson, south of Brisbane, according to friend senior sergeant Laura Hariss.

The triplet maintained that work ethic and his sense of duty and care as a serving police officer, most recently at Tara police station.

“He was a big man with an even bigger heart so filled with love for everyone around him,” Harriss told mourners.

Constable McCrow was a warm-hearted person whose smile “could light up any room on the darkest of days”, her friend senior constable Melissa Gibson said.

“For every bit of evil in this world, Rach, more than anyone, would be reminding us that there are still good people who need our help,” she added.

Queensland’s premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, said like other first responders, and neighbour Alan Dare who was also shot dead, the constables had gone towards danger rather than run away from it.

“In this sea of blue … on an ocean of tears, across our state and around our country we’ll shoulder this burden together. We will rededicate ourselves to their example – of there being far more good than there is evil,” she said.

Chaplain Baills called for the police community and all Queenslanders to “not draw away, but to draw together” in response to the “abhorrent” in which the constables were killed.

“We have had a major attack on the police in Queensland but, ladies and gentlemen, I want to say to us today: we will not be broken,” he said.

“We will, tomorrow, turn up to our shift, and we will stand shoulder to shoulder again, and seek to do the best we can to keep Queensland safe and fulfil our duties as outstanding men and women.”

The ceremony was broadcast live across Queensland. Private funeral services will be held later on Wednesday.

The two constables were attacked alongside two other officers, constables Keely Brough and Randall Kirk.

They had gone to the property for a missing persons check and were met by a hail of gunfire fired by Gareth Train, his wife Stacey and his brother Nathaniel. The shooters died in the subsequent firefight.

Investigators are yet to officially declare a motive but are examining known links between the Trains and extreme conspiracy theorist groups and forums.

The service was also attended by the prime minister, Anthony Albanese; opposition leader, Peter Dutton, state opposition leader, David Crisafulli and governor, Jeannette Young.