Burpengary lost one of its own when Senior Constable David Masters was fatally struck while on duty on the Bruce Highway in 2021. Last month, his family — along with the family of Senior Constable Brett Forte — received a Blue Heart Medal from the Queensland Police Service (QPS), recognising the ultimate sacrifice both officers made in service of their communities.
The two families gathered at the Avenue of Remembrance at the Queensland Police Academy on 26 February, where the QPS honours officers who have died on the job, ahead of a swearing-in ceremony for first-year constables. The occasion was marked by floral tributes and a minute of silence before the new graduates marched onto the parade ground.
The Blue Heart Medal was established in 2023, driven by the Queensland Police Union, to acknowledge officers who are seriously injured or killed while carrying out their duties. It is awarded to members who have been seriously injured or killed whilst carrying out duties, including during training incidents.
Senior Constable Masters had deep ties to the Moreton Bay region. He served the QPS for a decade, with a career that included four years as a full-time Mounted Patrol officer before he transferred to Deception Bay Police Station. In the early hours of 26 June 2021, he was on duty on the Bruce Highway at Burpengary when he deployed road spikes in an attempt to stop a speeding stolen vehicle. The driver swerved and struck him, and he died from his injuries.
His legacy has since been honoured in multiple ways across the region. In 2024, the QPS renamed its Mounted Police Unit complex at Moggill in his honour, as part of celebrations marking 50 years of the Queensland Mounted Police. The Dave Masters Memorial Bridge — the overpass spanning the Bruce Highway at Deception Bay Road — was also named in his memory.
Senior Constable Brett Forte, who grew up in Redcliffe, was also commemorated at the ceremony. On 29 May 2017, he was working with the Darling Downs District Tactical Crime Squad when he and his partner pursued a known dangerous offender along the Warrago Highway. The offender opened fire with an automatic weapon, and Senior Constable Forte was shot in the chest. He lost consciousness shortly after and later died from his wounds. An annual memorial hockey match held in Redcliffe keeps his memory alive while raising funds for Queensland Police Legacy.
Of the 123 First Year Constables who graduated on the day of the posthumous awards, eight have been posted to stations across Moreton Bay — including one new officer stationed at Burpengary.
Members of the public interested in a career with the Queensland Police Service can visit policerecruit.qld.gov.au.
Published 7-March-2026
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