Remembering those we've lost

On September 29th, we remember and commemorate those we've lost. 

National Police Remembrance Day is annually held in Melbourne and key regional centres across the state.

We encourage all Victorians to attend if they can.

Find out about the National Police Memorial.

The members listed below have paid the supreme price in the service of their community. 

Their duty-related deaths are hereby commemorated in the Victoria Police Honour Roll and serve as a reminder that policing is never without its risks.

Victoria Police Honour Roll

30 December 1837 
Constable Matthew Tomkin
Shot in the Western District by an escaped convict. 
 
6 June 1842
Constable Rhody Monaghan 238
Beaten (unknown circumstances)
 
30 October 1851
Constable James Hopkins (Carisbrook Police)
Died accidentally while riding a police horse in pursuit of a prisoner
 
29 May 1852
Acting Corporal Michael O'Connor
Drowned while crossing the Mitta Mitta River on duty
 
5 June 1852
Corporal William Harvey (Gold Field Police)
Shot at Buinyong police camp by another trooper who objected to his personal boxes being searched
 
Formation of Victoria Police in 1853
 
5 August 1853
Constable Edward Gray
Drowned while on duty
 
3 December 1853
Constable Daniel Mullaly
Fell from horse and crushed under a cartwheel
 
26 February 1854
Constable William Hogan
Accidently drowned whilst on the lookout for smugglers
 
3 August 1854
Constable Andrew Henderson
Thrown from horse and trampled upon
 
8 August 1854
Constable Robert Lindsay
Accidentally shot himself in the arm, resulting in amputation and later death
 
2 January 1856
Constable Robert Brunton
Thrown from horse
 
7 July 1856
Constable David Anderson
Drowned (unknown circumstances)
 
2 August 1856
Constable Stephen Bates
Drowned whilst crossing a river with his horse
 
16 October 1856
Sergeant John McNally
Shot whilst attempting to effect an arrest
 
21 October 1856
Constable Edward Fallon
Drowned crossing a creek whilst on patrol
 
4 December 1856
Cadet Mounted Constable Edward Thompson
Shot by Bushrangers (Bradley and O'Connor)
 
1 February 1858 
Constable Edward Barnett
Shot whilst attempting to effect an arrest
 
30 August 1858
Constable Robert Logan
Thrown from horse while on patrol
 
30 September 1858
Constable Philip Cabot
Drowned (unknown circumstances)
 
26 April 1859
Constable Walter Rendell
Drowned when he fell from a wharf whilst investigating a charge of pilfering from a moored vessel. 
 
18 August 1859
Sergeant George Dodds
Stabbed whilst attempting to effect an arrest
 
12 November 1859  
Senior Constable Patrick Henry Moylette
Disappeared in the bush whilst returning from Britannia Goldfield 
 
29 June 1860
Constable Edward Reilly
Thrown from his horse whilst on patrol
 
17 August 1960
Constable William Campbell
Thrown from his horse whilst on patrol
 
27 May 1862
Constable Patrick Conarty
Fatally injured by a falling tree whilst speaking to a potential witness in a forthcoming trial 
 
4 April 1863
Constable Robert Strahan
Drowned whilst fording a river after recapturing an escaped prisoner
 
5 August 1863
Constable Daniel O'Boyle
Struck with a hammer by a prisoner on remand
 
25 September 1863
Superintendent 2nd Class Robert Crofton Taylor
Accidentally shot himself while cleaning his revolver at home
 
7 June 1864
Constable William Hanson
Died as a result of assisting at a postmortem whilst having a cut on his skin. Inquest verdict: "absorption of matter in his skin"
 
5 October 1864
Constable John McElveen
Drowned whilst crossing a flooded creek on horseback
 
19 March 1867
Constable Justin McCarthy
Thrown from his horse whilst escorting a prisoner
 
20 November 1868
Sergeant Thomas Wood Hull 
Shot by a disgruntled Constable who had been dismissed that day for persistent drunkenness and blamed his colleagues for the loss of his job
 
19 August 1869
Sergeant Edward Leonard
Fell ill while on duty and passed away several days after being placed under a doctor's care.
 
8 September 1970
Constable William Kennedy
Fell from his horse and drowned a flooded road
 
17 October 1870
Constable John Joseph McNamara
Drowned in a flooded creek
 
6 June 1871
Constable James Deacon
Died when his horse, which was pulling a dray load of wood, bolted, causing a dray wheel to pass over his back
 
11 November 1871
Constable John Alexander Duff
Thrown from his horse whilst on patrol
 
28 May 1872
Constable Patrick Francis Curtin
Thrown from a wagonette and suffered fatal internal injuries whilst on his way to obtain a warrant for the arrest of a felon
 
31 July 1876
Constable James Herlihy
Thrown from his horse
 
23 March 1877
Constable Thomas Collins
Fell from his horse whilst on patrol. An unlit obstruction left on the roadway contributed to the accident
 
26 October 1878
Sergeant Michael Kennedy
Shot by bushrangers (Kelly Gang - Stringbark Cree)
 
26 October 1878
Constable Thomas Lonigan
Shot by bushrangers (Kelly Gang - Stringbark Cree)
 
26 October 1878
Constable Michael Scanlan
Shot by bushrangers (Kelly Gang - Stringbark Cree)
 
12 June 1880
Sergeant 1st Class Leonard Fawssett
Broke his leg as a result of a stagecoach accident and eventually required an amputation - causing gangrene to set in
 
7 June 1880
Constable Patrick Mallevey
Drowned whilst performing a wharf patrol along the Yarra Bank, Melbourne. It was later deduced that he tripped in a hole in the wharf planking and fell into the water
 
18 January 1881
Constable David Digby
Washed to sea when attempting to return to shore, after guarding a ship that had bene stranded on rocks
 
21 February 1881
Sergeant 1st Class James Porter
Fell down a flight of steps at the Richmond Depot and was fatally injured
 
28 December 1881
Senior Constable Irwin William
Thrown from his horse whilst fetching a dray to recover a dead body
 
15 June 1882
Patrick Barrett
Hit by a train on his way to serve a summons
 
6 January 1886
Constable Thomas Ryan
Disappeared whilst checking the local Chinese camp in White Hills
 
27 November 1887
Constable William Clarke
Died from injuries inflicted by a prisoner he was conveying
 
18 February 1888
Constable James Maguire
Died from illness incurred during the course of his duty after helping fend off a bushfire
 
15 October 1888
Constable Daniel James Courtney 
Hit by a train whilst on patrol
 
13 March 1892
Constable Arthur William Brown
Struck unexpectedly in the mouth by another man, causing him to fracture his skull when he fell
 
24 March 1893
Constable James Paul Slattery
Hit by a train as he went to see a Magistrate to have some documents signed
 
25 September 1893
Senior Constable Thomas Holt
Thrown from his horse whilst conducting investigations in the Nagambie region. His internal injuries compelled him to resign and he died later that year
 
14 February 1894
Constable Joseph Glynn
Thrown or fell from his horse
 
10 August 1895
Constable Olaf Henry Hoyem
Fractured his skull when his horse shied as he attempted to mount it
 
28 December 1897
Constable Josiah Rowley
Driven down and drowned under the weight of his horse when his mount fell as they attempted to cross a makeshift bridge over a flooded billabong
 
1 January 1902
Constable Timothy John Murphy
Contracted typhoid fever, possible by a drinking from a billabong whilst on patrol
 
18 May 1902
Constable Richard Johnston
Shot by an offender
 
18 May 1902
Charles Elwood HORNIBROOK

Died from injuries sustained on or about the 18th May 1902, when he fell from his horse at Rheola.
 
5 January 1906
Constable Henry Charles Blair
Died from Meningitis, which had supervened on typhoid fever contracted from drinking contaminated water from a billabong whilst on patrol
 
15 March 1907
Constable Hugh Lennox
Sustained severe internal injuries when his horse bucked after returning from patrol. He suffered a fractured pelvis and developed peritonitis 
 
19 June 1908
Constable Hugh Kennedy
Rode his horse into the back of an unlit plough whilst on patrol and later developed peritonitis
 
17 July 1909
Constable Francis Bruckner
Hit by train whilst walking to a job
 
6 May 1910
Mounted Constable Arthur Lunny
Died from head injuries caused by being bucked by his horse while trying to remount during a job
 
4 January 1911
Constable Charles Hothem Jones
Struck in the head whilst escorting a prisoner to the local watch house as a rescue attempt of the prisoner was made
 
10 January 1911
 Constable John Sanford COLLINS

Constable Collins died at Golden Square on Tuesday the 10th January 1911, from ulceration of the bowels. About four and a half years before his death he had been kicked in the stomach whilst attempting to arrest a man at Prahran. As a result of the injuries this caused he was admitted to the Police Hospital where he remained for some time before eventually resuming duty. However he later began to suffer from internal pains, and it was found that a growth had developed. This burst the day before his death, and his doctors were unable to save him.
 
8 December 1911
Constable James Ogilvie
Sustained serious injuries on the way to a Police Band picnic when the front wheels of their motor vehicle collapsed. He died within days of the accident
 
8 December 1911
Constable Harold Riddle
Sustained serious injuries on the way to a Police Band picnic with Constable James Ogilvie when the front wheels of their motor vehicle collapsed. He died within days of the accident
 
6 April 1912
Constable Edmund Crimin
Fell from his horse whilst pursuing a cyclist
 
1 October 1915
Constable David McGrath
Shot by an offender whilst investigating a burglary at Trades Hall
 
24 October 1916
Senior Constable John Tennant
Motor vehicle accident on return from conducting enquiries in another township 
 
25 November 1916
Constable Angus McInees
Fell from his horse whilst returning from a mounted patrol at Flemington Races
 
20 March 1920
Constable George Henry Taylor
Shot whilst attempting to effect arrest
 
9 January 1921
Constable William Michael Sharrock 
Drowned when a motor launch sank in a river near Warrnambool. Posthumously awarded the Valor Badge for helping to save the lives of others as the vessel sank
 
3 May 1922
Constable Edward O'Neill
Died of septic meningitis caused by a fracture to his skull after falling from his horse
 
3 September 1923
Constable Joseph Delaney
Shot by a burglary suspect he had gone to interview 
 
12 July 1925
Constable Victor Nelson
Died from an attack of erysipelas combined with blood poisoning, caused by direct contact with septic burns on a person he was escorting
 
24 December 1925
Constable James Clare
Stabbed in a fracas involving two young men whilst accompanying two colleagues on a plain clothes patrol of North Melbourne
 
1 October 1926
Constable Arthur Roy Currie
Motor vehicle accident caused by his patrol car running into a tramway excavation
 
9 June 1928
Constable Owen Harrison Maggs
Died as a result of a collision with a motor car whilst travelling as a passenger in a police motorcycle outfit
 
27 June 1929
Constable Donald Gordon Duncan
Killed when his motorcycle collided with a truck whilst on patrol
 
14 February 1931
Constable William John Vincent Roberts
Motor vehicle whilst on patrol
 
5 January 1935
Constable Clyde James Smith
Fatally injured when a colleague's gun accidentally discharged
 
30 April 1935
Constable John Henry Robins
Fatally injured in a motor car collision whilst travelling as a passenger in a police motorcycle outfit. 
 
1 February 1937
Constable Leonard Cardell Rymer
Died from complications when his police motorcycle outfit overturned while being town back to Russell Street
 
12 January 1938
Constable Bertram Clifford Robinson
Fell to the pavement whilst cleaning a third-floor window. He was performing fatigue duties at the Gaming Squad offices at the time
 
4 April 1938
Constable Victor Ernest Bateman
Struck a tramway pole whilst driving a police motorcycle outfit in pursuit of a speeding motorist. The latter had already crashed into another car and Bateman swerved to avoid the collision
 
30 June 1939
First Constable William Frederick Cawthron
Struck by a passing car whilst attending the scene of a motor vehicle accident
 
1 March 1943
Senior Constable Frederick Edward Jones
Shot in Richmond by a passenger is a passing taxi car
 
2 January 1948
Constable Maxwell Herbert Koop
Died from injuries sustained when his motorcycle ran off the road whilst on patrol
 
21 October 1948
Constable Garth Elvin Atkin
Collided with the rear of a truck whilst riding a police motorcycle outfit
 
1 February 1952
Constable George Howell
Shot by an offender whilst investigating a series of car thefts
 
31 March 1952
First Constable George Carter
Died riding a police motorcycle while on duty
 
6 April 1952
Constable Albert Creusot
Collided with a motor car whilst riding a police motorcycle
 
17 May 1954
Constable Charles Marcus Reeve 
Collided with a motor car whilst riding a police motorcycle
 
28 November 1954
First Constable James Norman Brewis
Died in a motor vehicle accident
 
16 May 1956
Constable William Joseph Harnetty
Swept away in flood waters and drowned when his boat capsized during an attempt to rescue sheep
 
9 August 1956
Constable John Thomas Glen
Collided with a motor car whilst riding a police motorcycle
 
4 December 1956
Constable Leonard William Rees
Collided with a motor car whilst riding a police motorcycle
 
4 August 1957
Constable Edward James DORE

On 31st July, 1957 Constable Dore had attended a mid-week football match between Police & RAAF. After the match he found that his police issue motorcycle crash helmet had been stolen and despite an extensive search he was unable to locate it. Whilst he was riding back to Melbourne he was involved in a collision from which he sustained serious injuries and died in hospital on 4th August.
 
13 November 1957
First Constable John Aloysius Brennan
Collided with a truck after transporting a prisoner to the Bendigo watchhouse 
 
24 December 1957
First Constable Edward Keith Simmons
Ran off the road and struck a fence whilst on a motorcycle patrol
 
17 May 1959
Constable Horace Maxwell Carey
Collided with a taxi whilst riding a police motorcycle
 
5 July 1963
First Constable Graham Stow
Thrown off his motorcycle and hitting a concrete post while pursuing a speeding car
 
3 May 1964
First Constable Ray Denman
Shot when called to a scene of an altercation; perpetrator claimed his shotgun had accidentally discharged and was acquitted of manslaughter
 
29 January 1966
Constable Malroy John McDonald
Hit by a car while directing traffic around an injured dog
 
9 December 1966
First Constable Brian Coleman
Died from cervical injuries resulting from a gymnastic workout at the police depot
 
14 January 1967
First Constable Frank Mannix
Died of a heart attack which occurred whilst attempting to pacify an aggrivated citizen 
 
3 November 1968
First Constable Darrel Blythe
Died in a head-on collision when his police car was hit by a vehicle travelling on the wrong side of a divided highway 
 
19 February 1971
Constable Phillip Gordon Fleming
Died when his police division van ran off the road and plunged down an embankment
 
17 April 1971
Constable William George Benbow
Killed when the wall of a partly demolished building collapsed upon him whilst attempting to move bystanders out of the danger zone
 
9 October 1971
Constable Robert Lindon Worland
Lost control of his car and crashed whilst on an outing with the Richmond Police that was organised for the widow of the late Constable Benbow (she was also killed in the crash)
 
25 April 1972
Senior Constable John William Creber
Shot by a fellow officer whilst pursuing a burglary suspect on foot. The other policeman mistook him for the offender, called on him to stop, then fired a warning shot which instead him Creber in the skull
 
8 January 1974
Senior Constable Charles Norman Curson
Had his throat cut whilst standing at the main entrance to Flinders Street railway station. His murderer was unknown to him but had a lengthy history of mental disorder
 
16 April 1974
Senior Constable Alan Michael Large
Collided with a motor car whilst riding a police motorcycle
 
2 February 1975
Senior Constable John Howard Wilson
Killed whilst driving a police vehicle as he swerved to avoid another car
 
1 June 1975
Sergeant Lionel Stanley Baum
Killed when his own shotgun accidentally discharged whilst attempting to set up a roadblock 
 
25 February 1976
Detective Sergeant John Henry Hodge
Killed when his car ran off the road after performing "observation" duty in Drouin area
 
3 March 1976
Senior Constable Kevin John Laube
Collided with a motor car whilst riding a police motorcycle
 
13 December 1977
Detective Senior Constable Lyndon Waring
Killed in a collision with another vehicle whilst a passenger in a police car
 
11 July 1978 
Senior Constable Kenneth John Atkins
Lost control of his motorcycle during training exercises
 
13 July 1979
Detective Senior Constable Robert John Lane
Shot by a car theft suspect
 
7 September 1979 
Senior Constable Michael John Mitchell
Collided with a car whilst escorting a wide-load on his motorcycle
 
11 August 1980
Senior Constable Barry Joseph O’DONOGHUE
Collided with a motor vehicle whilst on motorcycle patrol
 
9 September 1980
Senior Constable Leslie George Townsend
Killed when he lost control of his motorcycle on patrol
 
29 October 1981
Constable John Vincs
Collided with a car while on his motorbike patrolling
 
27 November 1981
Constable Walter Richard Hewitt
Killed when his vehicle collided with a police division van whilst pursuing speeding motorbikes. The police van came to their assistance
 
27 November 1981
Constable Shaun Gerard MOYNIHAN
Died in the same accident as Hewitt
 
1 March 1982
Senior Constable Stephen Edward Henry
Shot whilst attempting to intercept a car being driven recklessly. The offender was an escapee from a psychiatric hospital and had already committed many serious offences
 
19 April 1982
Constable Harry Cygan
Ran through an oil slick on his bike - causing him to slide into oncoming traffic
 
16 March 1983
Constable Clare Frances Bourke
Shortly after 1am Wednesday 16th March 1983, Constable Clare Bourke was fatally shot by a round from an off-duty officer's revolver at the Sunshine Police Station.
 
22 June 1983
Senior Constable Lindsay James Forsythe
Shot by a fellow officer who had lured him to an unoccupied house with the intention of murdering him. The latter was having an affair with the victim's wife
 
17 August 1985
Sergeant Arthur John Kokkin
Fatally injured when struck by a car as he was crossing a street whilst on duty
 
20 April 1986
Constable Angela Rose Taylor
Killed when a car bomb was detonated in front of Russell Street Police complex
 
27 September 1986
Senior Constable Maurice Daniel Moore
Shot by an offender
 
5 April 1987
Constable Francis Clinch
Struck in the head by a bullet as he tackled an offender
 
14 May 1987
Senior Constable Peter Ross Smith
Died during motorbike training
 
9 September 1987
Sergeant Russell James Thompson
Struck and killed by a passing car whilst conducting a routine vehicle check on a highway
 
12 October 1988
Constable Damien Jeffrey Eyre
Ambushed and shot by a number of offenders who had deliberately lured police to an abandoned car for the purpose of murdering them
 
12 October 1988
Constable Steven John Tynan
Murdered in the same incident with Eyre
 
17 November 1988
Senior Constable Christopher Cameron Malone
Hit by a train at a railway level crossing whilst driving a police vehicle
 
9 April 1989 
Senior Constable Richard Noel Dufty
Hit by a car while directing traffic
 
5 August 1989
Inspector Alan Geoffrey Dickens
Died in a head-on collision with another car
 
12 November 1989
Constable Trevor Given
Died in a car-accident while delivering a donor heart for a life-saving operation
 
9 June 1991
Constable Andrew Robert McFarlane
Died when his vehicle ran off the road and hit a tree
 
3 February 1994
Sergeant Grant Frederick McPhie
Killed in a car accident while chasing a motorbike 
 
13 August 1994
Senior Constable Ian James Crilly
Killed in a motor vehicle accident whilst travelling to set up a speed camera
 
9 January 1995
Detective Senior Constable Douglas Raymond Mathers
Killed in a motor vehicle collision 
 
10 May 1997
Senior Constable Timothy Richard Lewczuk
Killed when a car crashed into his police car, after intercepting a vehicle on a bridge, throwing him off the bridge onto the highway below
 
16 August 1998
Senior Constable Rodney James Miller 
Shot by an offender during a stakeout of a restaurant whilst investigating a series of armed robberies of restaurants
 
16 August 1998
Sergeant Gary Michael Silk
Killed in the same incident
 
26 December 1998
Senior Constable Simon De Winne
Killed when his patrol vehicle collided with a tree
 
22 June 1999
Detective Senior Constable Edward Leslie Hubbard
Suffered a cardiac arrest in the Police Academy Swimming pool whilst participating in pre-selection for the Special Operations Group 
 
20 May 2000
Senior Constable Mark Anthony Bateman
Killed in a car crash while responding to a call to attend a burglary 
 
20 May 2000
Senior Constable Fiona Frances Robinson
Killed in the same car crash as Bateman 
 
February 2002
Constable Kenneth McNeil
Died of injuries sustained in service to Victoria Police and the people of Victoria
 
11 December 2004
Senior Constable James Leslie DUNSCOMBE

Two Senior Constables stopped to talk to two males on an oval near the Corio Primary School and had started to return to the divisional van when one of the officers, Senor Constable Dunscombe collapsed suddenly.  Assistance was called for and CPR was administered but to no avail.  Senior Constable Dunscombe was pronounced dead at the Geelong Hospital a short time later.

Senior Constable Dunscombe left behind a wife and two young children.

The National Medal and the Victoria Police Service Medal have been awarded to Senior Constable Dunscombe. He was also been posthumously awarded the Victoria Police Star.
 
24 April 2005
Senior Constable Anthony Clarke
Executed with his own revolver when he pulled up a motorist - possibly for a random breath test. Several hours earlier he had issued a speeding ticket to the same motorist. The offender suicided after the shooting
 
26 April 2005
Senior Constable Rennie Page
Struck by a passing motorist whilst issuing a speeding fine to the driver of another car
 
16 August 2006
Senior Constable Ann Brimblecombe
Killed in a car accident whilst travelling to fulfil her duties
 
24 December 2011
Senior Constable David Hobden
Passed away in 2011 due to injuries he sustained in the line of duty in 1990
 
7 September 2018
Leading Senior Constable Keith Patterson
Keith died of heart failure from a blood infection contracted from a deep laceration to his hand sustained while arresting an offender several years earlier.
 
14 September 2018
Detective Senior Sergeant Victor Kostiuk
Victor was riding his motorcycle on the Princess Freeway as part of the Wall to Wall Ride event to commemorate police who had died on duty when he was himself struck and tragically killed by a motorist traveling in the opposite direction.
 
22 April 2020
Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor
Senior Constable Kevin King
Constable Glen Humphris
Constable Joshua Prestney
All four members were tragically struck and killed by a truck on the emergency lane of the Eastern Freeway while tending to another motorist who was earlier intercepted by police for allegedly speeding.
 
 

 

 

 

 
Click here to find out more