A NEW memorial was unveiled in Stirk Park last Thursday in honour of Constable Stephen Knight who died 30 years ago while on duty.

WA Police Legacy’s site said Constable Knight was on traffic duties at the Kalamunda traffic office and then drove to Maida Vale for speed detection duties on Gooseberry Hill Road.

A car recorded as going 90km/h by Constable Knight’s handheld radar prompted him to step off the footpath and onto the road with a police stop sign held up.

That’s when the speeding vehicle veered to the right and drove directly at Constable Knight and struck him, killing him instantly.

The case against the driver Scott Anderson was that the death was caused by a deliberate act, but the jury convicted him of manslaughter.

During the unveiling of the new memorial plaque and bench, his widow, five children and two of his grandchildren were present.

Commissioner Col Blanch also attended the unveiling at Stirk Park, which is close to Constable Knight’s final resting place.

Mr Blanch said Mr Knight’s death was a reminder of the ever-present danger that existed in the role of being a police officer.

“Stephen was performing his duty as a police officer for our community, and it was a tragedy that hit every West Australian in the heart,” he said.

“His ashes were scattered by the family here in Kalamunda and today is an opportunity to unveil a wonderful bench in memory of Stephen.

“Such an important place to reflect particularly in a park like this where kids can come and play and they will always remember their colleague, their dad, their friend, their husband.”

Constable Knight’s daughter Cassandra McCredden said the memorial was significant to the family as Stirk Park was a place where the family could gather to remember him.

“I’m continuously meeting people in my daily life that remember the story – remember it happening so whether they were people that lived in the local area or they were actually police officers that recall quite clearly where they were when it happened,  it really touched a nerve not just for us as a family but as for a community (and) not just the hills community,” she said.

“A bench is a beautiful place for mum to relax and watch her grandkids play and that’s really important to us that she is also on it in this whole process as the widow and the one that took the full
emotional force of what happened 30 years ago.”