Constable Anthony Woods’ family, Police Commissioner Col Blanch join inaugural ‘Woodsy’s Walk to Remember’

It was an emotional morning for those who knew Constable Anthony Woods — who lost his life in the line of duty — as they walked to honour his memory while also raising funds for a good cause. More than 100 people, including WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch, on Saturday gathered at Chidlow’s Lake Leschenaultia in Perth’s outer north-east, for the inaugural Woodsy’s Walk to Remember, which will raise money for WA Police Legacy, a charity that supports families of fallen police officers. Constable Woods suffered critical injuries when he was allegedly run over during an arrest in Ascot in June last year. He succumbed to his injuries in hospital three days later. The late officer’s mother Natalie Woods said she was grateful for the amount of people who came to honour her son. “Anthony was into fitness and into getting together with groups of people and just talking about everyday life and his sense of humour, and he loved to get out all the time, out in nature, so it was close to him,” she said. “It is really important that everybody is in support of all of our family and what we’ve been through and hopefully we can continue to do this every year, and we can talk about these times all the time, because it helps us.” Detective Senior Constable Greg McDougall knows first-hand just how often police put their lives on the line. He was allegedly hit and dragged by a car after trying to approach the driver in Belmont on September 20. The shocking incident happened mere kilometres away from where Constable Woods lost his life. Just three weeks after being discharged from hospital, he attended the walk alongside his family. “Today it hits close to home and I just want to pay respect to the 89 officers that have been killed in the line of duty … and the Woods family,” he said. “Every day he put his life on the line and paid the ultimate sacrifice. “What happened to him, of course, could have easily happened to me and that’s why my family came today to pay our respects.” Det-Sen. Const. McDougall’s incident left him with pins and plates in his left arm, numbness in that arm from radial nerve damage, and numbness in his right leg after suffering a fractured ankle. However, he said he was hoping to make a full recovery and get back to work by May next year. “I’m here and I’m grateful for it. I’m definitely keen to get back into it and get back to what I enjoy,” he said. “I just do my exercise, do the physio part of it and listen to them (his physios), and go to the gym and keep up with it, and hopefully I can get back on the job soon. “Thanks for the support from the community and all my police colleagues.” Commissioner Col Blanch said WA Police Legacy ensured families of fallen police officers were looked after. “We never forget our fallen officers but these events are extra special,” he said. “Certainly for Anthony we know that he did love fitness, he was a cheeky guy, he always had a laugh. The team loved him out at Belmont so this is a way that the blue family comes together and remembers him. “With Police Legacy, every member contributes their own money to make sure that we look after the families of fallen police officers and I think that speaks to police being a calling rather than just a job.” To learn more or donate to WA Police Legacy, visit www.policelegacywa.org.au.