Constable Mia Lay Posthumously Awarded National Police Service Medal at Funeral

Constable Mia Lay, a young officer killed in a police car crash in Sydney, has been posthumously awarded the national police service medal. The 20-year-old was farewelled at a service on Wednesday, where her dedication to policing and her passion for life were remembered.

A Life Cut Short

Constable Lay died after her police vehicle crashed on a street in Redfern while responding to reports of a car theft on September 25. The driver, a 24-year-old male constable, was taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and survived the crash.

NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon remembered Constable Lay for her "passion for soccer, her joy for life, her love for family and the pride and sense of achievement she found in policing".

"You will not be forgotten."

Commissioner Lanyon said Constable Lay served with "professionalism, commitment and dedication".

"She has left an enduring legacy," he said.

The commissioner formally announced that Constable Lay had been posthumously awarded the national police service medal, the national media and the NSW Police Force medal for ethical and diligent service.

"It will be my honour to present these awards to Mia's family at an appropriate time in the near future," he said.

Tributes from Family and Colleagues

Constable Lay's family, including her parents Tamara and Clem, her partner Daniel Vasquez, and her four siblings, survive her.

Commissioner Lanyon said Constable Lay had "exceptional promise" and had only been on the job for 16 months at the time of her death.

"The stories I've been told of her since her tragic passing demonstrated that she was a remarkable young lady and police officer. She demonstrated exceptional promise, embracing policing with enthusiasms and earned the respect of those around her. She loved her job and was loved by all who were touched by her."

Constable Lay's father, Clem Lay, gave a moving eulogy, saying his "firstborn flower" and "ultimate gift of joy" was a "force of nature from the moment she came into the world".

"She made me a better dad. She made us better people," he said. "I look back at her first birthday in Disneyland, a tiny girl surrounded by wonder, completely unaware that one day she would grow up and be the one bringing magic and safety to everyone around her."

Mr Lay said he was apprehensive about his daughter entering the police force, but that being a protector was in her nature.

"Every single day Mia put on that uniform and carried the weight of the badge, she did out of overwhelming dedication to people she didn't even know," he said.

Constable Lay's mother, Tamara Evans, said she would remember her daughter as being full of life.

"I loved her deeply, even when she irritated me and screamed at me. She became one of my best friends," she said. "Mia loved her family, she loved her dog Millie, she loved Dan, her partner, loved her friends, loved her job," she said.

Constable Lay's partner, Daniel Vasquez, spoke of their love story, saying they quickly became inseparable after graduating from the police academy together.

"Mia and I often said it felt like we had known each other for a lifetime," he said. "With her, I could be completely myself and she could be her true self with me. We understood each other deeply and being together felt like home."

Mr Vasquez said the couple recently went ring shopping and he had planned to propose on an upcoming holiday to Fiji.

"She often said to me, 'You know, I'm always going to say yes, so hurry up and ask me already.' I wish I had," he said. "I'm so grateful for the time we spent together. Mia showed me a love I didn't know existed, the type of love you see in movies. She made me feel like the luckiest man on earth."

Mourners were given roses to place on Constable Lay's casket, which was marched out of the church and saluted by Commissioner Lanyon and others.