In 2002, 29-year-old student police officer Robert Brotherson died while responding to a car crash in the Illawarra.

On Friday, his son, 13-year-old Blake Brotherson from Oak Flats, was named the 2013 winner of the NSW Police Legacy Commissioner's Scholarship.

Presented by Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione as part of the Police Remembrance Day ceremony in Sydney, the scholarship provided $5000 to allow the year 7 student to follow his dreams to become a pilot.

At the time of his death, Robert Brotherson had successfully completed session one at the Police Academy and was undertaking field placement at Lake Illawarra Local Area Command.

Presenting the award, Mr Scipione said Blake was an active participant in Police Legacy activities and wished him luck for his future.

Meantime in Wollongong, a multi-denominational Police Remembrance Day service was held at St Francis Xavier's Cathedral.

For Inspector Anne Clarke, the ceremony was a stark reminder of the risks she and her fellow officers faced.

"It brings home to us the real danger of policing," she said.

More than that, Insp Clarke said the ceremony was an example of the tremendous camaraderie that existed among those who made up the thin blue line.

Although Police Remembrance Day exists to pay respect to those officers who have been killed in the line of duty, it also honours those who have died in the past 12 months while still employed with the force.

This was particularly poignant for Wollongong LAC, which has lost two former officers in the past two months - Chief Inspector Graeme Donnelly and Sergeant Nick Skomarow. More than 100 officers, members of the public and religious representatives attended the ceremony, conducted by Salvation Army chaplain Jayne Wilson.