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AAP
AAP
Fraser Barton

Raw pain drives charity plea from slain officer's mum

Judy McCrow and Terry and Sue Arnold want the public to support the Blue Hope charity. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS)

For Judy McCrow, the mother of a slain policewoman, the heartbreak is unbearable and the pain still raw.

But two years after her precious daughter was gunned down west of Brisbane, she is leading calls to "future proof" police support charity Blue Hope, as demand surges.

"We continue to struggle with our mental demons," an emotional Dr McCrow told reporters on Friday.

"Time isn't healing our wounds. 

"Nearly two years on, our pain is still very raw ... the heartache is unbearable."

Const McCrow and colleague Matthew Arnold were killed at a remote property at Wieambilla as they walked up a driveway as part of a missing persons investigation.

A five-week inquest into the incident finished in Brisbane in August.

Blue Hope is a not-for-profit that supports current and former police officers.

Dr McCrow said it was time to "help the helpers" through the charity.

"The search for support and answers doesn't just stop and Blue Hope continues to pave the way for positive changes around the nation," she said.

Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow
Constables Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow died in the Wieambilla shootings. (HANDOUT/QUEENSLAND POLICE)

Blue Hope founding director Detective Sergeant Andrew Ayres said the charity was suffering from success in recent years.

It is run by police for police, staffed by volunteers and operates solely on donations.

It has helped more than 1600 former and serving officers Australia-wide since being established in 2014 and has dealt with thousands of inquiries.

"There's absolutely been a spike in requests for services," said Det Sgt Ayres, particularly since the Wieambilla shootings. 

"The stigma that is attached to police officers reaching out for help is what is effectively preventing them from doing so.

Detective Sergeant Andrew Ayres
Demand for the charity's services have spiked in recent years, Andrew Ayres says. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS)

"Being a victim of our own success is a sad way to say that people are finally seeing an outlet that can help them out.

"Blue Hope is designed with a hope of removing that stigma and provide a non-judgemental and very comfortable, non-confrontation environment for police officers that may be experiencing difficulties in the wake of such a tragedy to seek help. 

"To put their hand up with no fear of judgment."

Det Sgt Ayres, a police officer for more than 30 years, questioned his own mortality following the Wieambilla shootings.

Andrew Ayres,  Sue Arnold, Judy McCrow and Terry Arnold
Blue Hope has helped more than 1600 former and serving police officers across Australia. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS)

"Police officers see more trauma in eight hours than some people do in an entire lifetime," he said.

"I like to use the adage: every time we go to a job we pick up a pebble and put it in the backpack. After 10 years, the backpack starts to get heavy .

"What we want to do is provide an environment where they can empty that backpack safely."

National Police Remembrance Day is on September 27. 

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