An innocent man killed during a violent encounter at a rural Queensland property will be awarded the Queensland Police Bravery Medal.
Alan Dare will be farewelled by family and friends at a funeral in Ipswich on Friday after Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll on Thursday confirmed she will posthumously award him the honour.
The 58-year-old could not have known the rural block near his western Queensland home would be the site of a siege in which six people would die, but he did know someone might need help.
Mr Dare was shot alongside constables Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow when he went to check on a fire, believed to have been lit in an effort to flush out their colleague Keely Brough.
The award “reflects the high regard for Mr Dare’s actions on the fateful day and public acknowledgement of his sacrifice”, a statement from Queensland Police said.
His family has been consulted and an event to honour his actions and present the award will be held on January 18.
A GoFundMe page “so Al can have the farewell service he deserves” has raised more than $92,000.
Mr Dare was a dearly loved husband and father, treasured poppy, loved son and son-in-law and loving brother, his funeral notice says.
The service will include a procession from the Ipswich funeral home to Centenary Memorial Gardens.
“The procession will travel along Griffith Road for those wishing to pay their respects,” the notice says.
Meanwhile, Queensland police have released more details as they continue to probe the history of those responsible.
Nathaniel Train, his brother Gareth and his sister-in-law Stacey were killed in a firefight with specialist police during the December 12 tragedy at Wieambilla.
“We knew very little about the Trains and there was nothing that would have caused a particular flag for our members who attended on that day,” Deputy Police Commissioner Tracy Linford said on Thursday.
A warrant had been issued for Nathaniel after the former school teacher got bogged trying to cross the Queensland border during the COVID-19 pandemic in December 2021, leaving two registered firearms behind.
His brother Gareth’s only history with Queensland Police was an offence of unlawful possession of a firearm in 1998.
Stacey Train had no criminal history.
