Most people know that the greatest risk to their lives that day is the commute to and from their workplace.

Most people can be confident that that eight or so hours later they will return safely home to their families.

But police officers are not most people.

Theirs is an inherently dangerous occupation where even the most meticulous training cannot always ensure their safety.

Knocking on a door, pulling over a car, patrolling a street – these tasks can turn from perfunctory to perilous in a matter of seconds.

Yesterday, the men and women in blue who have died in the service of the community were recognised.

The annual National Police Remembrance Day is an important occasion not just for the family and friends of those who have perished in the line of duty.

It is also an opportunity for members of the broader community to acknowledge the officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Victoria has been the scene of some of this country’s most notorious and tragic line-of-duty slayings.

In 1988, constables Steven Tynan, 22, and Damian Eyre, 20, were gunned down in Walsh St, while a decade later the state was shocked by the murders of Senior Constable Rodney Miller, 35, and Sergeant Gary Silk, 34.

However, it is worth keeping in mind not only those policemen and women who have died on the job, but those whose health has suffered as a result of keeping us safe.

Policing is consistently ranked among the most stressful professions, taking an enormous physical and mental toll on its practitioners.

In this respect they stand beside soldiers, firefighters, paramedics and pilots, but are arguably even less appreciated.

Police work is often a thankless job. Many people – even the law-abiding among us – view the uniform with suspicion, even fear.

It is long past time for this immature mindset to be eradicated and the vital role police play protecting and serving our communities be more widely acknowledged.

- Ross Tyson, deputy editor