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The tragic deaths of two brave police officers show exactly what a lifetime of proper fatherhood produces, writes the former Met Police detective

Any fertile male can father a child. Unfortunately, many irresponsible and feckless men do.

Some of these good-for-nothing creatures move rapidly from partner to partner, spawning child after child along the way, never hanging around long enough to put in the hard yards of parenting.

Others might produce a number of children with one partner, but choose to put themselves before their offspring, thereby abrogating their duty to spend the time and effort required to produce decent human beings.

Raising my three sons has been the most wonderful thing I have ever done, and still continue to do, even though they are now aged 38, 25 and 23.

As far as I'm concerned, there is never an age when you can say your parenting work is done, because whatever their age, you can always set an example, lend a listening ear, and just be there for them. I've been truly blessed to have a wonderful woman by my side, because raising children requires teamwork.

We've made sacrifices, and lots of them. Having both worked as police officers, there have been missed birthdays, an empty chair around the Christmas dinner table, and unexpected overtime that has meant many arrangements had to be altered or cancelled.

All of these were explained, disappointment was managed, and the children learnt that earning a living as a public servant often meant forgoing the joys that others might take for granted.

There was always love. Pure, unbridled, joyous, unending love. I still tell my adult children that I love them, whenever I see them or speak to them on the phone. I firmly believe that when young children know they are unconditionally adored, it makes the very necessary spelling tests, the teaching of the times tables, and the setting of boundaries a much easier task.

As a family, we sometimes look back on those days and chuckle. Because of the discipline and respect that we have instilled into our boys, I have no hesitation in confidently predicting that none of them will ever spend a single day in a police cell. After all, they are too busy working hard, paying their taxes, and making plans for their future lives.

They can all drive. (Top tip: don't get involved in teaching your kids how to drive, especially if, like me, you are not renowned for being a patient soul. Leave that task to a professional!) Our boys respect the laws of the land, and most importantly, other road users. None of them have any points on their driving licences. None of them will ever be chased by a police car. None of them will ever drive the wrong way down a major road.

Two courageous police officers were tragically killed at the weekend in a collision that occurred on the A66 in Cleveland.

This awful matter is still under investigation, and a number of arrests have recently been made, but there are some indisputable facts that we already know: Tom Clough, 38, heroically served his nation as both a soldier and a police officer. Matthew Blades, 37, when not protecting the British public, was a dedicated family man who gave up his time to coach kids how to play football.

I strongly suspect that both of these men benefited from some fabulous parenting. May their valiant souls rest in peace. May their names live forevermore.

For the record, five other males aged 16 to 23 also died in this dreadful crash.