THE events of one fateful day have united four police officers, but they'd give anything to have their mate back by their side.

It was with pride and recognition of their fallen comrade the officers with Senior Constable Brett Forte in his final moments accepted the highest Queensland Police Service honour - the Valour Award.

Senior Constables Catherine Nielsen and Scott Hill, and Gatton Snr Const Stephen Barlow and Const Brittany Poulton still wear the blue with honour.

The officers were awarded the QPS Valour Award, the service's highest honour recognising exceptional bravery in hazardous circumstances, in Toowoomba on Tuesday.

Snr Const Barlow said there were still some jobs that would bring back the events of May 29.

The former Warwick panel beater attended the academy with Brett Forte before working together in Gatton.

"He was the larrikin in the class; he used to talk about his father who was a motorcycle police officer in Brisbane at the time," Snr Const Barlow said.

"He was born to become a police officer, having come from that background.

"Glenn Thomas, who was in that second car on the scene, was in the same class as well, so it was a twist of fate that we all ended up on Wallers Rd that day."

Snr Const Barlow's mother, Lyn Barlow, said watching her son and his colleagues accepting their awards was a bittersweet moment.

"I never got to meet Brett but I was with his wife yesterday, and his mother and father; it was sad as can be but very proud," Mrs Barlow said.

"He told me he wouldn't have left him behind no matter what, you just stay 'til the end, 'til you get your mates out.

"It's been very tough on him, he hasn't wanted to talk about it too much but his wife Karyn has been extremely supportive and it's slowly getting better."

Snr Const Nielsen said she wished she wasn't receiving the award.

"I wish that we weren't here. I wish we weren't receiving this award," Snr Const. Nielsen said.

"For me, it is a bittersweet day. For myself, I accept it on behalf of my friend Brett," she said.

"He would have some wise crack to make, something inappropriate like he always would."

Darling Downs Superintendent Mark Kelly laid bare the events of May 29 when Tactical Crime Squad Snr Const Brett Forte, and partner Snr Const Nielsen, tracked a car driven by Ricky Maddison on the Warrego Hwy.

Maddison led them to Wallers Rd where, at the crest of a steep incline, he turned an automatic weapon at the officers and began firing.

Snr Const Forte was shot twice while trying to reverse the car which then rolled, trapping him and Snr Const Nielsen inside.

Snr Const Nielsen fired five shots through the windscreen and called for back-up, all while under fire from Maddison.

Climbing through the shattered passenger window, she tried to free the trapped and critically injured Snr Const Forte.

Within moments, TCS Snr Const Hill, Snr Const Barlow and Const Poulton arrived on scene and ran to help, the severity of the situation only dawning on them under a hail of automatic gunfire.

The trio moved into the thick scrub, took cover behind trees as they approached the overturned police car.

Snr Const Hill climbed into the car and with Snr Const Nielsen, smashed the windscreen and freed Snr Const Forte, while Snr Const Barlow and Const Poulton provided cover from the scrub.

They managed to get Snr Const Forte into another police car and away from the scene, but he died of his injuries. His killer was shot by police after an overnight siege.

"It's definitely changed me as a person and as a police officer, it's made me more wary," Snr Const Barlow said.

"It's one of those jobs where you never thought that could have happened.

"Any police officer would have done the same thing I did, when Brett's partner called out urgently there was no question were going to go to his aid.

"You don't leave a colleague behind, you're part of a brotherhood."

The tragedy has forged unshakeable bonds between the four officers, and their colleague is never far from their thoughts.

"Brett will always hold a very important place, obviously, in our hearts and in our office, and with so many people in the community and his family," Snr Const. Hill said.