Kevin George LOMAS

AKA  Lofty

Daughter 1 – Leanne LOMAS, AFP # ?

Daughter 2 – ? LOMAS, AFP # ?

“ Possibly” related to W. P. LOMAS, NSWPF # 21838

New South Wales Police Force

“Possibly” from Class 040 or 041

Regd. # 8333

Commenced Training at Redfern Police Training Centre on Sunday 20 February 1955 ( aged 18 years, 10 months, 26 days )

Probationary Constable – appointed ? ? ?

Constable – appointed ? ? ?

Detective – appointed ? ? ?

Constable 1st Class – appointed ? ? ?

Senior Constable – appointed 26 September 1967

Sergeant 3rd Class – appointed 3 February 1973

Sergeant 2nd Class – appointed 1 December 1979

Sergeant 1st Class – appointed ? ? ?

Final Rank:  Sergeant – Retired – 6 May 1991

Served:   20 February 1956 – 6 May 1991 = 36 years, 2 months, 16 days

Age at Retirement:  55 years, 1 month, 11 days

Time in Retirement:  21 years, 2 months, 15 days

Stations:  ?, South District ( 1968 )( SenCon ), West District ( 1969 )( SenCon ), ?, O.I.C. Wilson’s Valley Police Station ( Snowy Mtns ), Queanbeyan 1981 – ?  , O.I.C. Narooma, Cabramurra, Talbingo,

Born:  Wednesday  25 March 1936

Died:  Saturday 21 July 2012 at home – Batlow, NSW

Cause:  ?

Age: 76 years, 3 months, 26 days old

Funeral:  Wednesday  25 July 2012 – St Marys Catholic Church, Selwyn St, Batlow, NSW

Buried at:  Batlow Cemetery, Cemetery Rd, Batlow, NSW

Grave Location:  Non Denomination  Row: GG  Plot 39

GPS:  ? / ?

Obituary

KEVIN GEORGE “LOFTY” LOMAS
At his home in Batlow on 21 July 2012.

Aged 76 years.

Loved husband of Roslyn.

Loving father to Glenda, Leanne, Michelle, Kiaran and their families,

brother of Paul and Stephen

“In Our Hearts Forever”

The relatives and friends of Kevin are informed that his funeral will be held on Wednesday, 25 July 2012.

Prayers in St Mary’s Catholic Church, Batlow will commence at 12 noon, followed by a private interment.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Batlow Can Assist. R G Beavan & CoFDA NSW, Tumut & District.  Phone 6947 2457

ANNOUNCEMENTS : DEATH NOTICES
24/07/2012 The Canberra Times
http://newsmediaiframe.canberratimes.co … s_list=119

• MARRIAGE NSW Births deaths and Marriages 25647/1961 LOMAS KEVIN GEORGE married MITCHELL ROSLYN FRANCES district HURSTVILLE
• RESIDENCE Australia, Electoral Rolls, 1903-1980 for Kevin George Lomas, New South Wales 1968 Hume Tumut (living at the Police House Talbingo as a Police Constable with wife Roslyn)
• DEATH The Ryerson Index to death notices and obituaries in Australian newspapers LOMAS Kevin George (Lofty) Death notice 21 JUL 2012 Death 76 at Batlow Canberra Times 24 JUL 2012

Kevin George Lomas (1936-2012) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree

The big snow    

The Canberra Times  Saturday  27 June 1981  page 20 of 44

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/125644155?searchTerm=%22kevin%20%20lomas%22&searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc#pstart13927942

Sergeant Kevin Lomas, officer in charge of Wilsons Valley police station, checks a car buried in snow at the roadside between Wilsons Valley and Smiggin Holes. He is holding the aerial.

Snow and ice build up on the new Perisher Valley Hotel yesterday. The hotel, which opens today, has accommodation for 50 guests, ranging up to a penthouse costing $200 a person a day.

Police graduation ceremony a family affair

By PHILIP CASTLE

The Canberra Times  Saturday

12 March 1983  page 7 of 46

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/116373394#pstart12937474

Two Australian Federal Police recruit classes graduated yesterday at the Weston Police Training College, including two constables whose fathers are well-known policemen in the district.

The 41 graduates took to the parade square at 8.45am to music provided by the Band of the Royal Military College, Duntroon. They were reviewed by the Deputy Commissioner, Mr John Johnson, who told the graduates their parade performance was the best he had seen.

Thirty-six of the new officers will be posted to general duties in the ACT, beginning on Monday. The others will take up postings throughout Australia.

One of the graduates was Constable John Dillon, 20, son of Superintendent Ron Dillon, who has been an officer with the AFP and former ACT Police since 1961.

Superintendent Dillon became well known for his TV presentations of ‘Police Seven’ and the police column in The Canberra Times. He is now the officer-in-charge of the AFP’s special branch.

Constable Dillon said he could hardly wait to begin work on Monday, but was a bit nervous about it. He ultimately wished to move into detective work, perhaps following his father’s footsteps by working in the special branch. He would like to do a number of years in general policing first.

Another proud father was Sergeant Kevin Lomas, of the NSW Police, who has been stationed at Queanbeyan for the past two years. His daughter Leanne, 19, was one of the graduates yesterday. Another daughter, Glenda, 20, is training at the college and expects to graduate in June.

Sergeant Lomas said it was a proud day for him. He was pleased that both daughters had chosen a police career.

He has two other children still at school, “one of whom is thinking about joining the Air Force, but I wouldn’t be surprised if all of them joined the   police”, he said.

Constable Leanne Lomas said she had been posted to the city station. She hoped to be posted to Darwin later this year.

The dux of recruit training course 2/82 was Constable Tim Dahlstrom and the runner-up for the most improved was Constable Craig Henry.

The dux of course 3/82 was Constable Romi Gyergyak and the runner-up was Constable Stephen McTackett. All were presented with trophies by Mr Johnson.

From Jindabyne tunnel and round Island Bend

We boys go to Cooma, our money to spend
And we’ll buy youse some beer there if you happen to see
Four Italians, three Germans, two Yugoslavs and me
We’ll pull up in Sharpe Street by the Alpine Hotel
If you’ve been to Cooma you’ll know this place well
And before we’re inside our order rings out
Four vinos, three schnappses, two slivovitz, one stout
From the song ‘Cooma Cavaliers’ by Ulick O’Boyle and The Settlers.

If there was one theme which bound the lives of all Snowy workers, it was alcohol. It was the elixir for camaraderie and the balm for fear, boredom, homesickness and loneliness.

The wet canteens in the mountains and hotels and nightclubs in Cooma were eventually open twenty-four hours a day to cater for men working the different shifts. Violence and trouble could occur at any hour.

Managing the aftermath of long drinking sessions fell on the shoulders of the handful of policemen scattered through the mountains and on the Authority’s patrol officers. The odds against them were sometimes frightening. More than one policeman was transferred out a broken man.

The lot of a Snowy law enforcer, often working alone among populations of hard-drinking, hard living men, many of whom believed the law was an irrelevance in the mountain frontier, was never easy.

Those who did survive in the tough, knock-about world of the construction camps and towns and who earned their stripes in the Snowy hall of fame were men like Fred ‘Careless Hands’ Chapman, detective Bill ‘Homocide’ Holmes, Brian Shultz, Bill ‘Chubby’ Keefe, Harold Etheridge, Kevin ‘Lofty’ Lomas, detective Bob Blissett, Bill Graham, Lionel Whitney, Bill Head, Bruce ‘Bags’ Durrant, Rod Murray, Bev Wales and ‘The Admiral’, Ron Davey. All could handle themselves — Careless Hands and Ron Davey had both been champion wrestlers — and all were colourful characters who fitted into the unconventional way of life in the mountains.

Many were regarded as the central characters in the communities over which they presided. They were men who lived by their wits, rather than the rule book.

The mix of nationalities, the language problem and many of the migrant workers’ backgrounds created unique circumstances that sometimes required a swift belt behind the ear and, at other times, sensitivity.

Frank Rodwell, a long-serving patrol officer with the Authority often found peace could be restored after a bloody brawl simply by lending a sympathetic shoulder: “I learned quickly that some of these fellows had gone through hell and were living on a razor edge. One time I was called to a fight caused by a Polish fellow who was drunk. As I dragged him away he started screaming, ‘they’re all dead … all dead’. His whole family had been killed in the war and he missed them terribly.

“I had another similar experience with a Yugoslav who had opened a mass grave with his bare hands to try to find his mother … who wouldn’t drink and go a bit crazy after something like that?

Working alone and unarmed the patrol officers often found themselves in hostile and dangerous situations: “But it was the job you had to do … and if you couldn’t do it then you were no good to anybody.”

At Sue City, the workers took great delight in the antics of their local policeman, Ron Davey and his cherished boxer dog … whose name was Boxer.

In the late afternoon just when Ron would be about to taste his first cold beer at the end of a long, arduous day, the valley would echo with the Boxer’s plaintive wail. To the delight of the regular drinkers, who had come to know the ritual, Ron would storm from the wet canteen, grab a spade and start to climb the steep valley slopes, following the direction of the wailing.

Somewhere up on the mountain, as everybody had come to know, Boxer had tried to chase another wombat into its hole. The dog would always get stuck about a metre inside and then tell the whole world of its predicament. On locating the animal, Ron would dig it out, slap it furiously across its rump with his trouser belt, then drag it unceremoniously by the collar back to his house where he tied it up.

After three or four days Ron started to feel sorry for the animal, “his mate”, moping on the end of its leash. In a flood of affection would let it off for a run. As sure as Monday followed Sunday, on the day the dog was free again Ron would be about to enjoy his first cold ale when the valley would once again echo … Whoooooooooo.

Of all the men who policed the construction camps, only one man, however, became universally regarded as a legend in his own time … Constable Bev Wales.

Bev Wales was renowned as being totally and utterly fearless. In 1955, after three years in Cooma, Bev began nurturing the idea of taking over a one-man station up in the mountains. He was about to marry the daughter of one of the Cooma sergeants and didn’t want to stay too close to home.

Also, while conceding he had learned more about real police work in a month at Cooma than he would have in five years in Sydney, Cooma too was starting to become routine … paper work and more paperwork and always to do with the same things — brawls and road accidents.

“The locals and the ‘wogs’ as they were called were still feeling each other out. The local lads were toey. They didn’t like the young foreigners coming down from the mountains with all their money. The migrant fellows didn’t want trouble but they were only prepared to take so much. So there were hundreds of brawls and if a non-Australian was involved, it meant double the paperwork.

“And alcohol, speed, poor roads and extreme weather conditions meant a lot of pretty horrible accidents. Plenty of cars, often loaded with blokes, left the road in places where they’d drop hundreds of feet.”

Bev wanted a beat where he took on all work. In December 1955 he sought and was happily granted, the job as replacement constable at Happy Jacks which had the reputation as the roughest camp on the Snowy. The workers there had grown accustomed to being a law unto themselves and had virtually driven out the previous constable.

Bev put a lot of thought into how he would approach his new assignment, his first lone command. From the start he decided he would not wear a uniform as his predecessor had done. He also realised he had to earn the men’s respect using the only language they understood. It was a question of his own survival.

On the drive from Cooma to take up his new position he stopped at the wet canteen at Junction Shaft, which was on his new beat and was where a lot of the Happy Jacks’ workers drank.

There were a dozen or so fellows drinking. Bev stood, framed in the doorway, until he had their attention: “My name’s Bev Wales. I’m the new constable,” he said simply.

For a moment the men looked as though they hadn’t heard him clearly, then responded with a chorus of whistling and cat-calls.

“So if there’s anyone here who thinks he can stop me, then he had better try it now before I unpack my Landrover.”

The wolf whistles and jeers got even louder and four solidly built Australians slid off their stools. It wasn’t every day a copper actually asked to be punched. They approached the young constable, leering, savouring the moment. They paused just beyond an arm’s length, then moved in swinging.

Every account of the incident is the same. Bev Wales used four, maybe five punches to lay the four men out on the floor. He bundled them into the back of his Landrover and continued on to Happy Jacks to lock them up for the night.

“They got a bit of a surprise,” Bev said later. Everybody did. Within hours the incident was being recountered throughout the surrounding camps. Happy Jacks had won a package deal, a new constable and prisoners in the one delivery.

By the end of his first month Bev Wales had locked up forty men, most of whom spent several nights in a cell nursing bruised jaws and foreheads.

“Over the years they had gone berserk. There was no law and order whatsoever. Living up in the mountains they thought they were beyond the law. The lawlessness had to stop and I was the one sent to do it,” Bev said.

He rarely worked less than sixteen hours a day. His patrol ranged from Eucumbene Portal near Adaminaby (the entrance to the Eucumbene – Tumut tunnel), to Tolbar Camp, up to Happy Jacks, Cabramurra, Kiandra, Kenny’s Knob, Tumut Pond, Tooma camp and all areas in between. He was a lone policeman among six thousand workers and the only link between most of the camps on his beat were rough bulldozer tracks.

Bev Wales backed away from no situation, even when he was out-numbered. When brawling men were told Bev was on the way, his reputation preceded him like a bow wave, often quelling disturbance before he arrived. Bev spent sixteen years in the mountains while the Snowy was under construction. He survived through a mixture of police field-craft and bush psychology shaped by the instincts of a boy from the bush.

He attributes his success in handling the men to his decision not to wear a uniform and not to carry a baton: “Bring out a baton in a brawl and you would put everyone offside. But take a man on with just your fists and the others respected you. If you did get into trouble they’d even help you … but belt one of their mates with a baton and they’d kill you.”

What most endeared Bev Wales to law abider and offender alike was that it became apparent at an early stage that he cared for people. He often preferred to allow bush justice to be dealt, rather than invoke officialdom by which a man might lose his job.

“Often I’d arrest a bloke and he’d say: ‘Let me fight you Mr Wales. If I win you let me go, eh?’

“The fellows were afraid of losing their jobs so I’d say okay. We’d pair up in the lockup, exchange a few blows till I gave him a good thump and it was over. It was summary justice, something you couldn’t do today but it kept the peace there.

“They had no respect for anybody who was soft. They were tough fellows and they expected you to be the same. You had to meet them on equal terms.”

But Bev Wales didn’t spend all his time thumping recalcitrant construction workers. The biggest workload for all policemen in the mountains arose from the horrific death toll, both on the roads and at the construction sites.

“At Khancoban alone I handled ninety inquests and no death was clean. Men were cut in half, decapitated, blown to pieces, or squashed by huge boulders.

“Death was frequent and it was part of my job. Tunnels collapsed, air hoses burst, truck brakes failed and bulldozers and trucks and cars toppled into ravines. You had to handle a lot of grief and tragedy.”

http://www.bradcollis.net/snowy/lawmen.html

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:c3EUS3bwkiQJ:www.oldinaperisher.com.au/photos-for-website/oldina-photos-from-janet-love.pdf+&hl=en&gl=au&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjtqQamCWykErz9POqASDTuKY9CeWgwLAKs_HFuSsIJihzC2ncndBq-3erDfbS5nmpDEwZUguPu2TTGBCAW15-3y2QwXptpPCdUqHMr24WC9imEFDcL5UczEmoSD8Bakh0dh1GB&sig=AHIEtbR3ja-vYIXsQph37l7VrLSxgUqiUA

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:c3EUS3bwkiQJ:www.oldinaperisher.com.au/photos-for-website/oldina-photos-from-janet-love.pdf+&hl=en&gl=au&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjtqQamCWykErz9POqASDTuKY9CeWgwLAKs_HFuSsIJihzC2ncndBq-3erDfbS5nmpDEwZUguPu2TTGBCAW15-3y2QwXptpPCdUqHMr24WC9imEFDcL5UczEmoSD8Bakh0dh1GB&sig=AHIEtbR3ja-vYIXsQph37l7VrLSxgUqiUA

WE’RE hearing plenty of tales about silent cops, the metal domes which sat at intersections acting like a roundabout.
Kevin says there was one in Dean St, Albury, in the early 1960s.
“There was a very tall policeman called `Lofty’ Lomas and he was lairising on his motorbike in front of some girls when his bike clipped the silent cop.
“About five minutes later all you could see of him was his fett hanging out the back of an ambulance.”
And Jeannette says she grew up in Sydney suburb where there were many silent cops.
“My mother, a highly articulate and well-spoken lady, refused to use any language or vocabulary that sounded remotely like slang and she expected the same standard of her children.
“She always referred to silent cops as `silent policemen’.”

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/opinion/in-black-and-white-no-theyre-not-selling-mangoes/story-fn4qercp-1225912400049

Lofty also donated many photos to the Cabramurra community and they are on display outside the shop.

http://www.tbl.australianpolice.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=52&t=16617&p=271982&hilit=lomas#p271982

William Crabbe STEWART

aka  Jock STEWART

New South Wales Police Force

Regd. # 3638

Commenced Training at ? Police Academy on Monday ? ? ? ( aged ? )

Probationary Constable – appointed Monday 5 February 1934 ( aged 23 years, 4 months, 9 days )

Constable – appointed ? ? ?

Constable 1st Class – appointed ? ? ?

Sergeant 3rd Class – appointed ? ? ?

Sergeant 2nd Class – appointed ? ? ?

Sergeant 1st Class – appointed ? ? ?

Inspector 3rd Class – appointed ? ? ?

Inspector 2nd Class – appointed 12 June 1967

Inspector 1st Class – appointed 25 September 1968

Final Rank: Inspector 1st Class

Serviced from:  ? ? 1934 to  ? ? 1969 = 35+/- years Service

Retired  1969 as O.I.C. Redfern Police Academy

Previous to being O.I.C., he was a Drill Sergeant there for years

Stations:  ?, Penrith Police College ( 1945 ), ?, Redfern Police Academy ( O.I.C. )( ? – 1969 ) – Retirement

Born:  Tuesday 27 September 1910 in North Glencraig, Fife Scotland ( as 4th of 7 children )

Arrived in Sydney, NSW, aboard the SS Berrima on 27 February 1928.

Died:  Friday 13 May 1977 in Esperance, W.A.

Aged:  66 years, 7 months, 16 days

Funeral date:  ? ? 1977

Funeral location:  ?, Esperance, W.A.

Grave location:  Esperance Public Lawn Cemetery, Esperance, W.A.

Plot: Uniting 858 + 1941  Section:   ?   Row:   ?

Grave GPS:  ?, ?

Memorial Location:  ?

W. C. ‘Jock’ STEWART – 1959  Redfern Police Barracks

Married Stella Laura GIBSON on 1 March 1937 in St Luke’s Church, Redfern, NSW.

Jock is survived by 3 sons and six grand children.

Jock was also a foundation member of the NSW Police Pipe Band as the Bass Drummer.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/228685607

John Desmond O’CONNELL

New South Wales Police Force

Regd. # 7886

Born  10 November 1932

81 old

Died  29 April 2013

Funeral  –  May 2013

[divider_dotted]

With regret I advise the death of;

John Desmond O’CONNELL, 82 old, former Regd. No. 7886, a non-Member of RPA of Wentworthville.

John passed away on 29/04/2013 and his funeral is proposed to be held at 2pm on Wednesday 7th Instant at Garden Chapel, Castlebrook Memorial Park, Windsor Road, ROUSE HILL.

[divider_dotted]

https://www.heavenaddress.com/John-Desmond-OConnell/472151/

Anthony ‘ Tony ‘ Van GORP

Victoria Police Force

Joined as a Victoria Police Cadet in 1979

Sergeant – Resigned March 2010

30 years service

Stationed at Healesville, Victoria

Suicide – Service Firearm

47 old

Died  22 March 2010

As of 10 January 2021 – Tony is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remebrance

 

 

 

Location of Healesville Police Station:

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Policeman shot, killed by own gun at Healesville police station

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/policeman-shot-by-own-gun-at-healesville-police-station/story-e6frf7jo-1225844032667

• Wayne Flower, Amelia Harris
• Herald Sun
• March 22, 2010 11:24PM

UPDATE 5.36pm: A POLICEMAN found shot dead with his own gun at an outer Melbourne station was under investigation.

The officer-in-charge is believed to have been shot by his own gun at Healesville police station in Melbourne’s outer east about 9.30pm.

Victoria Police named him as Sergeant Anthony Vangorp.

Paramedics arrived to find the sergeant had suffered a gunshot wound to the head and had died at the scene.

A police gun was found nearby.

Emergency crews could not revive him.

The officer, who had more than 30 years’ experience in the force, had been under investigation and tendered his resignation on Friday after a probe into “disciplinary issues”.

The resignation took effect yesterday, and it is believed the officer took his own life after returning to collect his belongings last night.

Other officers at the station had left on an urgent job, leaving him at the station alone, before returning to make the shock discovery.

There are no suspicious circumstances, but Assistant Commissioner Ken Lay told Radio 3AW that investigators would examine how the former officer was able to get access to a police-issue firearm.

He said the death had come as a shock to his colleagues, and that he was well liked and respected.

It is understood the member leaves behind a female partner.

“This is pretty horrible for the local police, for the member’s family and for the broader community,” Mr Lay said.

“He was a well-known member up there. Overall, it’s a pretty sad event,”

He said the officer had spent much of his time in the eastern region in his “30-odd years” of service.

Mr Lay confirmed police management had been talking with the officer last week about “a number of issues”.

But he would not reveal details of the investigation “out of respect to the member, his family and the staff out there”, other than to confirm that it was not a corruption investigation.

He would not comment on suggestions that the officer was going to be sacked if he did not resign.

The homicide squad, ethical standards department and the Coroner are investigating, with police expected to prepare a report for the Coroner.

For more information on depression and to seek help on suicide prevention, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 http://www.lifeline.org.au, SANE Helpline on 1800 18 SANE (7263) http://www.sane.org and Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636 http://www.beyondblue.org.au.

with Matthew Schulz

 

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Police officer found dead in station

Posted by: 3AW Radio | 23 March, 2010 – 9:48 AM

http://www.3aw.com.au/blogs/3aw-generic-blog/police-officer-found-dead-in-station/20100323-qrxj.html

THOMAS HUNTER: The police officer found dead at a station in Melbourne’s outer east last night has been named as Sergeant Anthony Vangorp.

The 47-year-old officer in charge had been under investigation for ‘‘serious discipline matters’’ in the week before his death, Victoria Police confirmed in a statement.

Two officers returning from divisional van duties found Sergeant Vangorp’s body at the Healesville police station about 9.30pm.

He had a gunshot wound to the head, believed to have been inflicted by a police gun, which was found at his side. His death is not being treated as suspicious.

Sergeant Vangorp, a 30-year veteran of the force, was alone in the three-member station at the time.

Deputy Commissioner Ken Lay said Sergeant Vangorp had tendered his resignation last week after being questioned by police management about “a number of issues’’, but not corruption.

He said the sergeant’s resignation became effective yesterday, and an investigation into his death would probe how he had access to a weapon.

‘‘He was actually there [at the police station] collecting his belongings,’’ Mr Lay told radio station 3AW.

‘‘He had spoken to a couple of members who were at the station while he was doing that. They had to sneak out and do a quick job. When they came back they, unfortunately, found what they found.

‘‘This is pretty horrible for the local police, for the member’s family and for the broader community. He was a well-known member up there.’’

It is understood Sergeant Vangorp had two adult children.

For help or information visit beyondblue.org.au, call Suicide Helpline Victoria on 1300 651 251, or Lifeline on 131 114.

 

Blog comments

• This is just sad. Sad for his family, sad for his friends, his workmates, for the Police Force and anyone involved. This will seriously change many lives and leave very deep scars and pain for many years to come. My heart go out to his family, friends and to our members, just keep holding that thin blue line…
  Current Member Thursday 8 April, 2010 – 2:16 PM
• This is just a complete tragedy for the family left behind, including the members. How dare force command act the way they have and wipe the blood from their hands without conscience. Unfortunately, this is not the only member to take his life due to the actions of the force in the last 6 months… so sad, condolences to the family.
  disillusioned tjf Friday 26 March, 2010 – 12:47 AM
• This is a sad ingigdment on our community, police force and government. Although never a servicing officer I have over the years known many servicing officers and I refuse to use the term “members” as members belong to clubs! This is a true reflection of the political involvement into our once respected police force in Victoria and confirms the assumptions of many that our former and current Chief commiissioner and deputies are nothing more than puppets of the state. Mr. Overland is an appointed CC of the current state government as was his predecessor along with his deputies also, Mr, Lay although a well liked man is unfortunately a yes man that has risen to his current position by his inability to stand his ground on issues where he know’s wrong is being done. Yet he fully accepts his position and standing in the communmity regardless of the current situation within Victoria Police. It is a sad fact that we have so much violence on our streets, disrespect of community and police yet nothing is being proactively done to rectify the issues, just more spin.
  Police force or political representatives?
  Shane Thursday 25 March, 2010 – 9:56 PM
• this is more politically correct rubbish from the higher up officials , Police officers are just Human and should be able to look at emails as long as they are Not outside the Law that applies to each and everyone of us , No wonder police are leaving faster than they can recruit them
  Wayne Harris Wednesday 24 March, 2010 – 5:47 PM
• This is just another disgrace by Victoria Police. I was a member for 42 and a half years, I was pushed out the door. I suffered from Post traumatic disorder which came about after being involved in a number of serious incidents over the years including being shot at and other serious issues. I spoke to Christine NIXON prior to my departure about two issues that are close to me. the first being the treatment of our Indigenous Population by Victoria Police, and the second being the treatment of members and the lack of welfare support. Christine did not want to know about anything about it. My issues came to a head after I was forced by an Officer to Lock up a current serving member, who was also a mate of mine, after he found himself in a situation with serious mental health issues brought about by some tragic issues that he had been involved in as part of his work. Vale Tony VAN GORP, a mans man, and another senior member crunched by an unjust employer.
  Brian McCALLUM Wednesday 24 March, 2010 – 5:03 PM
• This is a disgrace! The Vic Police force is leaving this poor mans family in a shadow of doubt. If all he did was misuse emails why on earth was he forced to resign?? Is this more of passed leaders culture surfacing here??
  alexas Wednesday 24 March, 2010 – 2:02 PM

I think police command have to come clean with this. I smell fish and they should be up front for the sake of the public and the family

• Julie- Bayswater Wednesday 24 March, 2010 – 2:25 AM
• My thoughts to the family and even more to the members on duty who are going to be disected and thrown out by ESD who will investigate this incident along with the homocide squad but for them 10 minutes. ESD is the biggest department in the Victoria police and you could easily put an extra 500 police on the street if you cut ESD by 1/3Seious misconduct can be a police officer getting a parking ticket or a speeding fine in his/her private vehicle susequently receiving 2 penalties civil and internal.Police management and ESD have no idea about staff management. ESD has and will always be seen as a path to promotion take down and discredit as many police as you can regardless of the parking ticket and you will fly through the ranks. Someone in ESD is now going to be the next chief commissioner for his tact on this.
  Martin – Chiangmai Wednesday 24 March, 2010 – 2:06 AM
• So sad Tony. Condolences to your family and collegues. I just hope that your death is not in vain and that a full enquiry into the circumstances of your death are conducted in a proper manner. Those that are responsible for the “Witch-Hunt” that led to this tragedy should hang their heads in shame. ESD should not be investigating this matter. They were the ones who led the investigation into your ALLEGED misdemeanours and should not be allowed to be involved into what will ultimately be another cover-up. The comments by Mr LAY were extremely inappropriate, suggesting that you were under investigation for serious discipline matters. Let him explain what this means, as I believe the community has a different idea.
  Concerned Citizen Tuesday 23 March, 2010 – 8:43 PM

 

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Cop mourned

http://mountainviews.starcommunity.com.au/mail/2010-03-30/cop-mourned/

Posted on 30 March 2010.

By Kath Gannaway
THE death of Sergeant Tony Van Gorp last week sent shockwaves through the Healesville community.
Tributes have flowed for the popular, community-minded policeman who as officer in charge at Healesville for the past 15 years, played an active role in many community organisations, particularly local schools.
Sgt Van Gorp, 47, was found dead on Monday night (22 March) by two colleagues when they returned to the Healesville police station at around 9.30pm.
Victoria Police confirmed his death just after midnight, stating that a gun was found at the scene and that there were no suspicious circumstances. It was soon also confirmed that he had had taken his own life.
The Melbourne media went into meltdown, and the rumour mill in Healesville followed suit, as it was revealed that Sgt Van Gorp was under investigation for misuse of the police email system.
Speculation was fuelled by the fact that Sgt Van Gorp had tendered his resignation on 18 March after receiving a Section 68 notice from Chief Commissioner Simon Overland.
The notice was one of only two issued by Mr Overland following investigations by the Ethical Standards Department for what were said to be “serious discipline matters”.
A close friend of Sgt Van Gorp has told the Mail he believed the letter was an ultimatum – resign or be sacked.
Much of the reporting on the police email crackdown last week revolved around other investigations being conducted by the ESD relating to racist and pornographic emails which Mr Overland said would shock the community.
He went on record on Thursday however as saying that the email for which he had delivered the section 68 to Sgt Van Gorp was neither racist, nor illegal.
Mr Overland has strongly rejected accusations that the Section 68 was a heavy-handed approach saying the email was sufficiently ‘serious’ to warrant the action.
He gave no indication as to the direction the ESD investigations into Sgt Van Gorp’s matter would now take, or if and when the exact nature of the email would be made known.
More stories on pages 8 and 9

 

 

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Police officer’s suicide may have been avoided over email scandal

• by: Carly Crawford
• From: Herald Sun
• April 13, 2011 12:00AM

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/archive/news/police-officers-suicide-may-have-been-avoided-over-email-scandal/story-fn7x8me2-1226038118911?sv=2aa46ab78893a63925fb3478aca079f6&nk=73412c0e9f8bd4a2da893de353e172e7

Simon Overland has been implicated in the investigation over a police officer’s suicide. Picture: Greg Scullin Source: Herald Sun

The Office of Police Integrity is investigating claims that senior police – including Chief Commissioner Simon Overland – overlooked legal advice about how to discipline a police officer who later killed himself.

Healesville sergeant Tony Vangorp fatally shot himself after he was told to expect a Section 68 notice during Operation Barrott, an OPI-Ethical Standards Department probe into pornographic, racist and homophobic emails circulating among police.

The rarely used 68s are rubber-stamped by the Chief Commissioner and demand recipients show cause why they should not be sacked.

The Victorian Government Solicitor’s office is believed to have issued formal advice to senior police that 68s would be inappropriate in those cases. Internal police lawyers gave top brass similar legal advice.

The OPI has been told police may have misapplied their powers by issuing no-confidence notices during the email scandal that swept the force last year.

The officers implicated are Supt Lisa McMeeken, Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius and Mr Overland.

Police Association boss Greg Davies said he was amazed to hear of the allegations Mr Overland had disregarded advice.

“If that’s right and if those actions have contributed in any way, shape or form to the death of Tony Vangorp the Chief Commissioner surely cannot remain in office, then there’s only one person that’s made that decision in blatant disregard for internal and external legal advice that said don’t do it,’’ Snr-Sgt Davies said.

But in a statement released today, a Victoria Police spokesperson said police were confident they had followed proper procedure.

“Victoria Police is confident that the steps taken in relation to Sgt Tony Van Gorp in March last year were right and proper. These included, in recognition of the strong public interest in the matter from the outset, asking OPI to actively oversight our investigations,” the statement said.

“However we do not believe that the interests of the Van Gorp family are well served by further speculation and unseemly criticism in the media.

“The coronial process, in which we have confidence, must be allowed to run its course.”

The spokesperson said police would await the findings of the coronial inquest before making any further comment.

Mr Overland said today he did not ignore legal advice about issuing a disciplinary notice to Sgt Van Gorp.

“If there is an OPI investigation into that, that’s fine and I welcome that,’’ he said.

“I have absolutely nothing to fear or hide in relation to that particular case.’’

Mr Overland said he was the only person who could issue the rarely used Section 68 notice, and legal advice surrounding them was often contradictory.

He said Sgt Van Gorp resigned after the notice was issued.

Premier Ted Baillieu said today Mr Overland had his full support.

“I haven’t seen the issue in detail but the answer is yes (I have faith in Mr Overland),” he said.

The Herald Sun understands that another 68 issued under Barrott – to a senior detective in Geelong – has been withdrawn.

Senior police were advised that a Section 69 notice, which refers suspect officers to a disciplinary hearing, would be a more suitable way to deal with those caught up in Barrott.

Eight officers were sacked and about 13 others fined or demoted after they were found with vile emails on their computers last year. Several have lodged appeals.

An OPI spokesman last night said the office was “actively oversighting Operation Barrott and associated matters”.

Sgt Van Gorp, a 30-year police veteran, shot himself at his police station last March. His death is before the Coroner’s Court.

Of the six 68s issued in Victoria, only one has not been overturned.

In advising against 68 notices, one government solicitor cited a precedent involving a fraud squad member disciplined with a 69 notice for having similarly offensive emails on his computer.

Anyone with personal problems can call Lifeline on 131 114; Victorian Statewide Suicide Helpline on 1300 651 251; or Mensline Australia on 1300 789 978.

crawfordc@heraldsun.com.au
– with Amelia Harris, Stephen McMahon

Questions remain

http://mountainviews.starcommunity.com.au/mail/2011-04-19/questions-remain/

Posted on 19 April 2011.

Inquest

http://mountainviews.starcommunity.com.au/mail/2011-12-06/inquest/

Posted on 06 December 2011.

Van Gorp inquest call

http://mountainviews.starcommunity.com.au/mail/2011-12-20/van-gorp-inquest-call/

Posted on 20 December 2011.

Van Gorp inquest call

Posted on 20 December 2011.

Tony’s truth unheard

http://mountainviews.starcommunity.com.au/mail/2012-02-21/tonys-truth-unheard/

Posted on 21 February 2012.

Inquest denied

http://mountainviews.starcommunity.com.au/mail/2012-02-21/inquest-denied/

Posted on 21 February 2012.

Partner wins compensation over police sergeant’s suicide

Oscar Stanley McDONALD

New South Wales Police Force

Regd. # ‘Q‘ 8552

For the purposes of this website ‘Q‘ represents those Police joining between 1 March 1862 ( commencement of NSWPF ) – 23 February 1915 ( Commencement of NSWPF current numbering system )

Rank:  Probationary Constable – appointed 12 October 1906 ( aged 22 – 23 years old )

Stations:  ?, Rugby – Death

Service:  From 12 October 1906  to 21 December 1919 = 13 years, 2 months, 9 days Service

Born:  1884

Age: 36 old

Cause:  Suicide – Jumped from a cliff

Died:  21 December 1919 – Belmore Falls, Robertson, NSW

Funeral:  Saturday 27 December 1919, Robertson, NSW

Buried:  Church of England, Robertson Cemetery, NSW

Media reports:

Goulburn Evening Penny Post ( N.S.W. )

Tuesday  30 December 1919  page 2 of 4

CONSTABLE DROWNS HIMSELF.

Moss Vale Monday. –

The body of Constable Oscar McDonald, of Rugby, near Young, who drowned himself on the 21st instant, came to the surface in a water hole at Belmore Falls, and was discovered on Saturday morning.

At the inquest a verdict of suicide while temporarily insane was returned.

He was 36 years of age, and leaves a wife and seven children.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/98903618?searchTerm=%22oscar%20mcdonald%22&searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc#pstart9600234

The Sydney Morning Herald

Tuesday  30 December 1919  page 7 of 10

CONSTABLE DROWNS HIMSELF.

MOSS VALE, Monday.

The body of Constable Oscar McDonald, of Rugby, near Young, who drowned himself on the 21st instant, came to the surface in a waterhole at Belmore Falls, and was discovered on Saturday morning. At the inquest a verdict of suicide while temporarily insane was returned. He was 36 years of age, and leaves a wife and seven children.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/15881840?searchTerm=%22oscar%20mcdonald%22&searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc#pstart1252437

Northern Star ( Lismore, NSW )

Wednesday  31 December 1919  page 5 of 8

GENERAL TELEGRAMS.

Verdict of Suicide.

SYDNEY, Tuesday.—

The body of Constable Oscar McDonald, late of Rugby, near Young, who drowned himself on the 21st inst., came to the surface in a waterhole at Belmore Falls, Moss Vale.

At the   inquest a verdict of suicide while temporarily insane was returned.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/93020545?searchTerm=%22oscar%20mcdonald%22&searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc#pstart8841887

The Scrutineer and Berrima District Press

Wednesday  31 December 1919  page 2 of 4

Belmore Falls Tragedy.

The body of Constable Oscar McDonald, of Rugby, near Young, who was missing from Sunday, 21 st instant, came to the surface of the waterhole at Belmore Falls, where his clothes and a note, to his wife stating that he was tired of his life were found, and was discovered on Friday morning and dragged out of the water.

At the inquest following the discovery, the district coroner (Mr. H. W. Taylor) returned a verdict of suicide whilst suffering from temporary insanity.

Deceased was a son of Mr. Robert McDonald, of Robertson, and was born in that township 36 years ago.

He leaves a widow (a daughter of Mr. John Lindsay, of Moss Vale) and seven children.

The remains were interred in the Church of England cemetery, Robertson, on Saturday, the Rev. J. F. Rofe officiating at the graveside.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/124751250?searchTerm=%22oscar%20mcdonald%22&searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc#pstart13323653

The Southern Mail ( Bowral, NSW )
Friday 2 January 1920 page 2 of 4
The Suicide at Belmore Falls
THE BODY FOUND.

The body of Constable Oscar McDonald, of Rugby, near Young, who had been missing since Sunday, the 21st December, came to the surface of the waterhole at Belmore Falls, and was discovered on Friday morning and dragged out of the water.

Some days previously the clothes of the missing man were found near the top of the falls with a note to his wife stating that he was tired of his life, and it was surmised that he had jumped into the deep waterhole 300ft beneath.

Efforts to recover the body by dragging, however, failed.

At the inquest following the discovery, the district coroner ( Mr. H. W. Taylor ) returned a verdict of suicide while suffering from temporary insanity.

Deceased was a son of Mr. Robert McDonald, of Robertson, and was born in that township 36 years ago.

He was on a visit to his birthplace on sick leave from the police force, suffering a nervous breakdown. A long bout of insomnia had left him in a state from which death would appear to give a happy release.

The late Constable McDonald leaves a widow ( a daughter of Mr. John Lindsay, of Moss Vale ) and seven children.

The remains were interred in the Church of England Cemetery, Robertson, on Saturday, the Rev J F Rofe officiating at the graveside.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/113381577?searchTerm=%22oscar%20mcdonald%22&searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc

The exact same version, as above – from the Northern Star, also appeared in Robertson Advocate ( NSW ), Friday 2 January 1920 page 2 of 4

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/120009398?searchTerm=%22oscar%20mcdonald%22&searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc

The Southern Mail ( Bowral, NSW )

Tuesday  6 January 1920  page 2 of 4

THANKS.—  The Widow, Family, and Relatives of the late Constable Oscar McDonald desire to Thank the police and public generally for their assistance and sympathy in their late sad bereavement.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/113381583?searchTerm=%22oscar%20mcdonald%22&searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc#pstart11797711

Belmore Falls:

-34.639077859879535, 150.5589477310662

The earliest mention of Rugby Police Station ( which no longer exists as a Police Station ) in the National Library of Australia is 16 December 1875.

In October 1900 there was a Constable Overton stationed at Rugby Police Station. ( “Possibly” Arnold OVERTON, NSWPF ‘Q’ 5265 – Born 1858 in England and joined the Police on 29 September 1886 )

As of 2014, there is no mention of Rugby Police Station, or Oscar McDonald inside the date range of 1900 – 1923.

In December of 1923 there was a Constable John Walderma CHITTY stationed at Rugby Police Station. ( No Find via Google or my records.  Cal )

On 2 September 1927, approval was given for the installation of a telephone in Rugby Police Station.

The last mention of Rugby Police Station, in the papers of the day, is 4 July 1930.

 

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On Saturday 19 July 2014, I ( Greg ‘Cal’ Callander ) went to the old Church on the corner of Illawarra Hwy & Meryla St, Robertson, to speak with the current Minister there.

He didn’t have any records with him and there are definitely no graves within the grounds of the Church, nor is there a Church of England Cemetery ( now ) – as stated in the article dated 2 January 1920.

The Minister did, however, direct me to one of the oldest residents in the area who runs the General Store up the road.

Before I troubled her, I attended the Robertson Cemetery located at the very end of Missingham Parade, Robertson in search of Oscar’s grave – at the below GPS co-ordinates.

It is a lovely cemetery, with graves dating back to the mid 1800’s and there would be no more than 100 marked graves there – but, as much as I searched, I could not locate the grave for Oscar.

There are several unmarked graves, there are several graves with upturned headstones that have fallen over with the process of time.  There are also graves whereby the inscriptions just can’t be read, due to weathering and then there are the graves that are totally shrouded in thick creeper vines and trees.

After spending a considerable amount of time there, without success, I decided to go to the old General Store and speak with the elderly lady who runs the place.

Now, considering this funeral happened nearly 95 years ago, I introduced myself to the lady and told her exactly what I was seeking.

Now bugger me if, after all these years, she steps forward to the bench in front of her and says, “I know I have that book around here somewhere“.

From under a few news papers, she removes an old, hand written, brown tattered and torn book which holds most of the records of the Robertson Cemetery.

She flicks through the book to the appropriate date and there, before us, was the hand written note of her own long deceased father ( this lady is around 80 herself now ) is written:

“Decr 27th 1919.

Oscar McDonald buried in grave paid for by his father.”

Unfortunately there were no other details as to the location of the grave but, the woman assures me, Oscar would have been buried on the right hand side of the driveway as you enter the cemetery.

So, at this stage, that is the best I can do in relation to plotting exactly where Oscar is buried.

The elderly woman is retiring very soon, so this original book will be lost with time.  She tells me that she has given a photostat copy to the local Rail Museum and the local Cemetery Trust – as the cemetery is owned by the Community.

 

 

Approximate vicinity of grave site

https://www.google.com/maps/place/34%C2%B036’07.8%22S+150%C2%B035’27.7%22E/@-34.6022239,150.5909468,65m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d-34.602163!4d150.591015

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BOSUN

Queensland Police Force

Retired Police Dog

Died  23 June 2014

Hero police dog Bosun, who caught Damian Leeding’s killers, sadly dies

Damian LEEDING

Queensland Police

Detective Senior Constable

Coomera Police Station

34 old

Born  17th January, 1976

Murdered – Shot on 29 May 2011

Died  1 June 2011

Funeral

Tuesday, 7th June, 2011

Gold Coast Convention Centre, corner of Gold Coast Highway and TE Peters Drive, Broadbeach,  commencing at 11.00 a.m.

Policeman shot in face on Gold Coast

By Andree Withey and Russell Varley
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-05-30/policeman-shot-in-face-fighting-for-life/2736458

Updated Mon 30 May 2011, 5:26am AEST

Senior Constable Damian Leeding was responding to a triple-0 call at the Pacific Pines Tavern when he was shot. (ABC TV)

A police officer is fighting for his life in hospital after being shot in the face during an armed hold-up on Queensland’s Gold Coast.

Senior Constable Damian Leeding, 34, from Coomera was responding a triple-0 call at the Pacific Pines Tavern when he was shot in the face as he approached the tavern.

Queensland Police Union (QPU) president Ian Leavers says Senior Constable Leeding was one of the first officers to arrive at the scene just before 11pm (AEST).

“Damian and a female detective were responding to alleged armed robbery in progress and upon approaching the tavern the offender has come towards Damian and he has been shot in the head,” he said.

It is understood three people armed with guns had been threatening staff and customers at the tavern.

Police say they believe up to seven people had been involved in the hold-up.

Police detained two men as they tried to run into nearby parkland and they are being questioned about the incident.

One was bitten by a police dog.

Ambulance officers assessed the man but say he did not require hospital treatment.

Police have cordoned off the area and are searching for the remaining five suspects.

Mr Leavers says Senior Constable Leeding has undergone emergency surgery in the Gold Coast hospital and is in a critical condition.

He says he has been to the hospital and spoken with the female detective who was with Senior Constable Leeding at the time of the shooting.

“This is unfortunately the unpredictable nature of police work which can occur from time to time, but it is tragic and we are hoping for a good outcome,” he said.

Queensland Police Minister Neil Roberts says the shooting highlights the risks and dangers of police work.

“We just need to let police to fully investigate the matter,” he said.

“We really do ask anyone with any bit of information – no matter how small – to please ring Crimestoppers.

“This is a very difficult time for the family and really our hearts and minds are with them at the moment.”

Mr Leavers says Senior Constable Leeding is a well respected officer with Coomera CIB.

“Damian is a married man – his wife is also a police officer and he has two very young children,” he said.

“It is a very distressing time and our prayers and thoughts are with them.

“I have spoken to the colleagues and police on the scene and all are hoping for the best possible outcome and our prayers and thoughts are with Damian and his family.”

Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson said at a press conference “the worst situation almost that you could possibly imagine for us has occurred”.

Commissioner Atkinson says officers at Coomera CIB will be given extra support.

“It’s our intention to bring in extra police from outside to help in the staffing of Coomera for the next 48 hours so that the officers at least have additional back-up there,” Commissioner Atkinson said.

“If they choose to take some time off and then we can support them in that regard.”

Commissioner Atkinson says he believes the incident will touch the wider community.

“I think there will be an outpouring of support for people who in the daily course of their duties put their own safety at risk to protect the public,” he said.

Shot policeman: ‘We’re expecting the worst’
Marissa Calligeros
May 31, 2011 – 9:26AM

The UK family of shot police officer Senior Constable Damian Leeding is rushing to reach his Gold Coast bedside as the trio charged with his attempted murder prepares to face court.

Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers joined Senior Constable Leeding‘s wife Sonya in prayer this morning at the intensive care unit of Gold Coast Hospital, where the plain clothes detective remains on life support.

Senior Constable Leeding was shot in the face at point-blank range after he leapt over a fence and came face-to-face with a bandit armed with a sawn-off shotgun at a Gold Coast pub on Sunday night.
“There is not much we can do but wait,” Mr Leavers said this morning.

“His injuries are very, very serious, as you can imagine from a gunshot injury to the head.

“We’re expecting the worst, but hoping for the best.”

Senior Constable Leeding, 35, had recently returned to duty after the birth of their three-month-old daughter Grace. Sonya, a fellow police officer, remains on maternity leave. The pair also have a two-year old son, Hudson.

Mr Leavers described Senior Constable Leeding as a “supremely fit man” and keen triathlete.

“Damian is a fighter and if anyone can pull through this it’s going to be him,” he said.

His father and sister were due to fly to the Gold Coast from the UK today.

Two men and a woman are due to face Southport Magistrates Court today charged with attempted murder, armed robbery and seven counts of deprivation of liberty.

Senior Constable Leeding responded to a triple-0 call from the Pacific Pines Tavern about 10.30pm.

Inside, two armed bandits had allegedly held hostage and tied the hands of seven people – four patrons, two staff and a security guard – and were demanding money.

Police have said the robbery was meticulously planned. Their accomplice was keeping watch and reportedly warned the pair inside that police had arrived over a walkie-talkie.

When Senior Constable Leeding leaped a fence he came face-to-face with one of the bandits and was shot in the face at point-blank range.

Senior Constable Jackson rushed to her partner’s aid and began to perform CPR as a dog squad officer arrived and pursued the alleged attackers.

Two, a man and a woman, were soon apprehended in nearby parkland. A second man was arrested yesterday morning.

Police yesterday charged the two men, aged 37 and 38, and a 37-year-old woman, all from Nerang.

Tributes have flooded social networking site Facebook for the officer who excelled to reach the rank of plain clothes detective after eights years in the force.

“Stay strong Damian. I hope that you are able to recover from this senseless act against you,” Tania Sherley wrote.

Das Pedro wrote: “Pull through champ, hearts and thoughts are with you.”

Senior Constable Leeding was stationed at Surfers Paradise police station after he graduated from the police academy in 2003 with an award for his physical fitness.

He then joined the Gold Coast Criminal Investigation Branch, before being posted to Coomera CIB when it was established 18 months ago.

His wife Sonya had worked at Runaway Bay, but is currently on maternity leave.

Funeral Details:

LEEDING, Damian Detective Senior Constable Late of Upper Coomera, formerly of Highland Park.

17th January, 1976 to 1st June, 2011. Aged 35 years

Greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his Friends. “At Great Cost, With Honour We Serve”

Loving Husband of Sonya. Adored & Proud Father of Hudson and Grace. Much loved Son of Stephen and Julie. Loved Brother of Hayley and Chantelle. Much loved Son-in- law of Garry and Margaret. Greatly missed Brother-in-law to Melanie, Shane and Christie, and loved Uncle to his Nieces and Nephews.

Relatives and Friends and Colleagues of The Late Detective Senior Constable Damian Leeding, are warmly invited to attend his Funeral with full Queensland Police Honours. To be held in the Gold Coast Convention Centre, corner of Gold Coast Highway and TE Peters Drive, Broadbeach, Tuesday, 7th June, 2011 commencing at 11.00 a.m.. No flowers by request. Donations would be appreciated to the Damian Leeding Remembrance fund.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/lawyer-defending-one-of-accused-in-damian-leeding-trial-tells-jury-officer8217s-actions-8216rash-dangerous8217/story-fnihsrf2-1226723590521

A POLICEMAN who was gunned down outside a Gold Coast tavern made the “rash, ill-considered and highly-dangerous” decision to open fire on an armed robber, who reacted “in self-defence”.

Barry Robert DUFFY

aka  Scruffy,  Bazz,  The Stomper, The Macksville Mauler

Late of  Tuncurry, Bathurst & Orange

NSW Police Redfern Academy Class: “possibly” Class 129 – 130

New South Wales Police Force

NSW Police Cadet # 2405

Regd. #  14958

Rank:  NSW Police Cadets – commenced 2 December 1968

Probationary Constable – appointed  2 November 1971

Constable 1st Class – appointed 2 November 1976

Sergeant 3rd Class – appointed  3 July 1987

Former Sergeant at Orange ( where he Retired in 1991 )

Stations: ?, Orange

Service:  From  2 December 1968  to  ? ? 1991 = 23 years Service

Awards:  National Medal – granted 2 November 1988 ( Sgt )

Born:  Wednesday  29 October 1952

Died on:  Tuesday morning, 17 June 2014

Age:  61yrs  7mths  19days

Cause:  Illness – PTSD – Suicide by vehicle

Event location:  Pacific Hwy, 12 Mile Creek ( nth of Raymond Terrace )

Event date:   Tuesday  17 June 2014

Funeral date:  Wednesday  25 June 2014

Funeral location:  ?

Buried at:  Cremated

 Memorial located at:  ?

BARRY is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance  *NEED MORE INFO

FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED ABOUT THIS PERSON, THEIR LIFE, THEIR CAREER AND THEIR DEATH.

PLEASE SEND PHOTOS AND INFORMATION TO Cal

May they forever Rest In Peace

With regret I advise the death of Barry Robert DUFFY, 61 old, former Regd. No. 14958, a non-member of the RPA of Tuncurry.

Barry passed away on 17/06/2014 and his funeral is proposed to be held at 11am on Wednesday 25th Instant at Manning Great Lakes Memorial Gardens Chapel, 183 Pampoolah Road, TAREE.

Harry BRENNAN GM 

aka  Henry, Bren

Late of Caringbah, NSW

Penrith Police Academy Class # 018

New South Wales Police Force

Regd. # 6424

Rank:  Probationary Constable – appointed 13 June 1949 ( aged 21 years 3 months, 11 days )

Sergeant 3rd Class – appointed 1 June 1966

Sergeant 2nd Class – appointed 14 September 1973

Sergeant 1st Class – appointed  14 March 1976

Chief Inspector – appointed 30 September 1984 ( 1985 Stud Book )

Does NOT appear in the 1988 Stud Book

Retired – Chief Inspector

Stations:  ?, 15 Division HWP ( 1970s ), Sutherland ( 24 Division ), ?

Service:  From ? ? pre June 1949 to 1 March 1988 = 39 years of Service

Age at Retirement:  59 years, 11 months, 28 days

Time in Retirement:  26 years, 3 months, 0 days

Awards:  George Medal ( Imperial )( GM ) – granted 22 November 1955 for apprehension of armed man ( Constable )

National Medal – granted 8 June 1988 ( Chief Inspector )

Born:  Friday  2 March 1928

Died on:  Sunday  1 June 2014

Age:  86 years, 2 months, 30 days

Funeral date:  Friday  6 June 2014 @ 9am

Funeral location:  Woronora Crematorium, Sutherland, NSW

Buried at:  Cremated

Interred 1 August 2014 – HENRY KENDALL GARDENS – ROSE GARDEN 40 – Position 0056

Harry (Henry) BRENNAN GM, 86 old, former Regd. No. 6424, an Unattached member of Caringbah.

Henry passed away on 01/06/2014 and his funeral is proposed to be held at 9am on Friday 6th Instant at Southern Chapel, Woronora Crematorium, SUTHERLAND

Funeral location:  Dress is winter uniform (leather jacket) plus full size medals.  For plain clothes Police it is suitable day dress with medals.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/18446212?searchTerm=%22harry%20brennan%22&searchLimits=l-decade=195#pstart1082756

Sunday Mail ( Brisbane, Qld )  Sunday 17 October 1954  page 1 of 36

‘DON’T SHOOT’ : GUNMAN’S PLEA TO POLICE AT CAPTURE
HUNT ENDS ON THIRD DAY

SYDNEY— After the grimmest manhunt New South Wales has known Robert Michael Brown, 20, surrendered to two young police officers on Bushrangers’ Hill, in the Sydney suburb, Newport, at 11.25 a.m. yesterday. Brown, who was dirty arid dishevelled, was hiding in a crevice under a clump of bushes when the police arrested him.

With their guns drawn, the two policemen, Constables Clive Curtayne and George Spowart, stood over Brown as he crouched in the bushes and ordered him to surrender.

“Throw up your hands and submit quietly or we will shoot,” Constable Curtayne ordered. Rising slowly to his feet and with both hands’ in the air, Brown said: “I’ve had it. Don’t shoot. You’re too good. I’m all in. Give me a break. I’ve thrown my gun away. I’ll go quietly.” Brown’s capture was the climax to the biggest search on land, sea, and air in the history of New South Wales. He had been at liberty for 62½ hours. The police search for Brown began on Wednesday night after two police men had been shot in a running gun battle between Bondi and La Perouse.

Ate meal

Brown threw back his head and stared defiantly at police and Press while his picture was taken from all angles. He made no attempt to conceal his face and made a couple of half-hearted wise cracks to photographers as the bulbs flashed. With the Commissioner of Police ( Mr. C. J. Delaney ) in the front seat, Brown was driven to the Collaroy Police Station where he dictated a long statement.
[blockquote]While making the statement Brown ate ravenously and gulped down several cups of water. Later he smoked cigarettes and drank tea. [/blockquote]

It is understood that Brown commandeered the trawler Aklavic from The Spit about 9 p.m. on Friday and sailed it out of Sydney Harbour. The trawler struck heavy seas late on Friday night and about 1 a.m. yesterday it is believed that Brown dived overboard. Brown told police that the trawler was running against a strong wind and a high tide. The vessel was found firmly aground on the sand on Newport Beach. It showed no signs of serious damage.

‘The swim knocked it out of me.” Brown told police. “I didn’t think I would make the shore. I’ve had practically no sleep since last Wednesday. It’s been a terrible business.”
After receiving countless false alarms, police finally pinpointed Brown soon after 9.15 a.m. yesterday, when residents sighted him on Bushrangers’ Hill.

No shoes

An anonymous phone caller told police: “Brown is at Newport on Bushrangers’ Hill. He has just gone into a house. I think the house is unoccupied.”
About 20 police cars, police trucks, and motor cycle police gathered at the foot of the hill, and the hunt began. A shout went up when Brown was sighted by police about 300 yards from a house.
Brown, who was wearing a light sweatshirt, shorts, and gaberdine overcoat, was barefooted when police caught him.
He showed only one visible sign of injury — a deep scratch on the left side of the face.
He looked a picture of misery when police handcuffed him and marched him back to the main road, where scores of police had been posted.
His shoulders sagged, and he was limping. His eyes were bloodshot, and he had a stubble of beard on his chin.

Had limp

At times police had to hold him up as he staggered through the dense bush back to the road. Placed in a police car between the two arresting officers. Brown said wearily: “There’s no doubt about you boys, you’re too hot.” “For God’s sake, give me a cigarette, and I want a drink of water. I’m thirsty and I’m hungry.” ‘There was no need to worry about a gun. I threw it away. It went into the water. I had to throw it away.”

Brown’s grandmother, Mrs. Florence Brown, said to-day: “My grandson, Bobbie, is ill . . . mentally very ill … I am sure of it.”
Last Tuesday he had told her : “I’ve got women-trouble Nan. Bad women-trouble.” Mrs. Brown said Brown’s wife had a maintenance order out against him. His parents had divorced when he was about 16, and his father, a dog trainer; now lived at Southport, Queensland.

After Brown had been questioned he was charged with the following: —
Shooting with intent to murder Constable Harry Brennan, Detective Sergeant N Townsend, and Constable Len Ryan.
Stealing a diesel trawler, valued at £5000, the property of Dr. T. J. Cottee, sen., dentist, of Military Road, Mosman.
Disobeying a maintenance order. Having in his possession a motor car stolen from another State.

Police refused bail and Brown will appear before the Central Court of Petty Sessions tomorrow.

Find car

Police late yesterday found a stolen Victorian car, in dense bush on St. Michael’s golf course near Malabar with seven bullet holes in it. The car was reported stolen from Victoria at the beginning of the week.

On Wednesday night about 25 shots were exchanged by police and a man in the car during a chase.

DETECTIVES escort fugitive gunman Robert Michael Brown, 20, to a waiting police car after his capture yesterday. — RADIOPHOTO.

 http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/101726653?searchTerm=%22harry%20brennan%22&searchLimits=l-decade=195#pstart10333833

The Sun-Herald ( Sydney )  Sunday 24 October 1954  page 40 of 64

Queensland Times ( Ipswich )  Wednesday 3 November 1954  page 3 of 8

 Barrier Daily Truth ( Broken Hill, NSW )  Thursday  4 November 1954  page 2 of 8

 Illawarra Daily Mercury ( Wollongong, NSW )  Wednesday 8 December 1954  PAGE 1 of 12

The Sydney Morning Herald  Wednesday 8 December 1954  page 11 of 36

The North Western Courier ( Narrabri, NSW ) Monday 28 March 1955  page 1 of 10

The Canberra Times  Tuesday  29 March 1955  page 1 of 6

GUNMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO FIRING AT POLICE

SYDNEY. Monday,

Robert Michael Brown, 21, of Darley Road, Manly, pleaded guilty in Central Criminal Court today to four charges of shooting at police.

Detective Inspector Aldridge described the manhunt in Sydney last october in which Brown was alleged to have exchanged a number of shots with police.

The four charges were malicious shooting at Bondi of Sgt. Neville Bernard Townsend and Constables Henry Brennan,  Leonard Ryand and Charles Melton, with intent to prevent arrest.

Brown also pleaded guilty to three other charge, relating to the possession of a stolen car, use of a pistol without a licence and the stealing of a trawler.

Inspector Aldridge said that last October a message was received from the Melbourne C.I.B. stating that Brown had left Melbourne in a stolen car with the intention of shooting his wife in Sydney.

After threatening his wife with a gun, she agreed to withdraw the warrant if he did not   shoot her, Aldridge said.

Brown was detained at Bondi by Constable Brennan.

Brown swerved his car at Brennan’s motor cycle and drove off.

Brown fired a shot at Constable Brennan and later fired four more shots, all of which struck a police truck.

More shots were fired during the chase, and one struck Sgt. Townsend on a finger, which was later amputated.

The next day Brown boarded the trawler Aklavic and headed out to sea.

Inspector Aldridge said Brown swam ashore at Newport and was arrested.

Aldridge said Brown had told him he intended to shoot himself at Melbourne but he did not have the nerve.

Brown had said that he had   never intended to injure the police, but had fired so that “they would get serious and shoot me.”

Mr. Justice MacGuire remanded Brown for medical observation before passing   sentence.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/91195681?searchTerm=%22robert%20michael%20brown%22&searchLimits=l-decade=195|||l-year=1955

The Canberra Times  Friday 1 April 1955  page 1 of 8

The Argus ( Melbourne ) Friday 22 April 1955  page 5 of 26

The Canberra Times  Saturday 8 October 1955  page 4 of 8

 Sentence Doubled On Appeal

SYDNEY, Friday.

A former professional frogman who featured in one of the biggest man hunts of recent times,  had his gaol sentence doubled to 10 years to-day.

Robert Michael Brown, 21, was sentenced to five years gaol by Mr. Justice Maguire in March.

Brown was convicted of having wounded two policemen with intent to kill.

He was also convicted of stealing a car and a trawler and carrying an unlicensed pistol.

The Supreme Court heard an appeal by the Attorney-General on the ground that the sentence was inadequate.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/91210113?searchTerm=%22robert%20michael%20brown%22&searchLimits=l-decade=195|||l-year=1955

The Canberra Times  Tuesday 22 November 1955  page 5 of 8

The George Medal was granted to Henry Brennan on the 22 November 1955 as a result of apprehending an armed man during a shootout whilst pursuing the offender(s) on his motor cycle.

The George Medal

On the 8 June 1988, Henry was granted the National Medal.

May Henry forever Rest In Peace

Cal

Walter Irvine SALKELD

Late of ?

aka  Wally

NSW Redfern Police Academy Class 119

New South Wales Police Force

[alert_yellow]Regd. #  13700[/alert_yellow]

Rank:   Probationary Constable – appointed 23 June 1969

Senior Constable – appointed 23 June 1978

Sergeant – Retired

Stations:  Liverpool ( 22 Division until March 1971 ), Merrylands ( 26 Division from March 1971 ), Fairfield ( 34 Division ) 1970’s,  Campbelltown ( 35 Division )

Service: From 15 May 1969 to ? May 1987 = 18 years Service ( Discharged Medically unfit whilst attached to Campbelltown )

Awards: National Medal – granted 3 September 1985

Born: ? ? ?

Died on: 26 May 2014

Age: 73

Cause: ?

Event location: ?

Event date: ?

Funeral date: ? ? ? unknown

Funeral location: ? unknown

Funeral Parlour: ? unknown

Buried at: ? unknown

Memorial located at: ?

[alert_blue]WALLY is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance[/alert_blue] * NOT JOB RELATED

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FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED ABOUT THIS PERSON, THEIR LIFE, THEIR CAREER AND THEIR DEATH.

PLEASE SEND PHOTOS AND INFORMATION TO Cal

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May they forever Rest In Peace

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Walter Irvine SALKELD, 73 old, former Regd. No. 13700, an Unattached member of the RPA of South West Rocks.

Walter passed away on 26/05/2014 and funeral arrangements are unknown at this time.

Wally was a heavy smoker.

After retirement, Wally purchased a Bottle Shop at Bargo before moving to the South West Rocks area of NSW.

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