National Police Memorial

On this day

Constable

Joshua Andrew PRESTNEY

YEAR OF DEATH

22 April 2020

JURISDICTION

Victoria

DETAILS OF DEATH

On Wednesday 22 April 2020, Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor and Constable Glen Humphris of Road Policing Command (RPC) were performing duties on the Eastern Freeway in Kew when they intercepted a Porsche vehicle for speeding. The two vehicles were pulled into the Westbound emergency lanes and after a conversation with the driver it was decided to impound the Porsche. Nunawading Highway Patrol (NHP) members, Senior Constable Kevin King and Constable Joshua Prestney responded to a call for back up and upon arrival at the scene, parked their vehicle behind the RPC vehicle. At approximately 5:40pm, a truck travelling westbound has drifted across a number of lanes into the emergency lane striking the NWP vehicle. The impact caused the vehicle to rotate across all lanes of the freeway coming to rest against the wire safety barrier. The truck has then collided with the RPC vehicle and the police officers. Leading Senior Constable Taylor and Constable Humphris who were standing on the south side of the Porsche behind the rear passenger side door were pinned against the Porsche. Senior Constable King who was standing at the rear of the RPC vehicle and Constable Prestney who was standing near the front were thrown onto the freeway. Numerous witnesses went to the assistance of the police officers, but tragically all four officers died as a result of the injuries they sustained.

On this day

Senior Constable

Kevin Neil KING

YEAR OF DEATH

22 April 2020

JURISDICTION

Victoria

DETAILS OF DEATH

On Wednesday 22 April 2020, Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor and Constable Glen Humphris of Road Policing Command (RPC) were performing duties on the Eastern Freeway in Kew when they intercepted a Porsche vehicle for speeding. The two vehicles were pulled into the Westbound emergency lanes and after a conversation with the driver it was decided to impound the Porsche. Nunawading Highway Patrol (NHP) members, Senior Constable Kevin King and Constable Joshua Prestney responded to a call for back up and upon arrival at the scene, parked their vehicle behind the RPC vehicle. At approximately 5:40pm, a truck travelling westbound has drifted across a number of lanes into the emergency lane striking the NWP vehicle. The impact caused the vehicle to rotate across all lanes of the freeway coming to rest against the wire safety barrier. The truck has then collided with the RPC vehicle and the police officers. Leading Senior Constable Taylor and Constable Humphris who were standing on the south side of the Porsche behind the rear passenger side door were pinned against the Porsche. Senior Constable King who was standing at the rear of the RPC vehicle and Constable Prestney who was standing near the front were thrown onto the freeway. Numerous witnesses went to the assistance of the police officers, but tragically all four officers died as a result of the injuries they sustained.

On this day

Leading Senior Constable

Lynette Rosemary TAYLOR

YEAR OF DEATH

22 April 2020

JURISDICTION

Victoria

DETAILS OF DEATH

On Wednesday 22 April 2020, Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor and Constable Glen Humphris of Road Policing Command (RPC) were performing duties on the Eastern Freeway in Kew when they intercepted a Porsche vehicle for speeding. The two vehicles were pulled into the Westbound emergency lanes and after a conversation with the driver it was decided to impound the Porsche. Nunawading Highway Patrol (NHP) members, Senior Constable Kevin King and Constable Joshua Prestney responded to a call for back up and upon arrival at the scene, parked their vehicle behind the RPC vehicle. At approximately 5:40pm, a truck travelling westbound has drifted across a number of lanes into the emergency lane striking the NWP vehicle. The impact caused the vehicle to rotate across all lanes of the freeway coming to rest against the wire safety barrier. The truck has then collided with the RPC vehicle and the police officers. Leading Senior Constable Taylor and Constable Humphris who were standing on the south side of the Porsche behind the rear passenger side door were pinned against the Porsche. Senior Constable King who was standing at the rear of the RPC vehicle and Constable Prestney who was standing near the front were thrown onto the freeway. Numerous witnesses went to the assistance of the police officers, but tragically all four officers died as a result of the injuries they sustained.

On this day

Constable

Glen Andrew HUMPHRIS

YEAR OF DEATH

22 April 2020

JURISDICTION

Victoria

DETAILS OF DEATH

On Wednesday 22 April 2020, Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor and Constable Glen Humphris of Road Policing Command (RPC) were performing duties on the Eastern Freeway in Kew when they intercepted a Porsche vehicle for speeding. The two vehicles were pulled into the Westbound emergency lanes and after a conversation with the driver it was decided to impound the Porsche. Nunawading Highway Patrol (NHP) members, Senior Constable Kevin King and Constable Joshua Prestney responded to a call for back up and upon arrival at the scene, parked their vehicle behind the RPC vehicle. At approximately 5:40pm, a truck travelling westbound has drifted across a number of lanes into the emergency lane striking the NWP vehicle. The impact caused the vehicle to rotate across all lanes of the freeway coming to rest against the wire safety barrier. The truck has then collided with the RPC vehicle and the police officers. Leading Senior Constable Taylor and Constable Humphris who were standing on the south side of the Porsche behind the rear passenger side door were pinned against the Porsche. Senior Constable King who was standing at the rear of the RPC vehicle and Constable Prestney who was standing near the front were thrown onto the freeway. Numerous witnesses went to the assistance of the police officers, but tragically all four officers died as a result of the injuries they sustained.

On this day

Detective Sergeant 3rd Class (Rtd)

Jillian Cupit HAWKES

YEAR OF DEATH

22 April 1986

JURISDICTION

New South Wales

DETAILS OF DEATH

On 30 July 1977 Detective Senior Constable Hawkes and another Detective attended Sydney’s Luna Park in relation to a complaint. While the offender was being escorted from the park he began to struggle violently and kicked Detective Hawkes’ legs out from under her. When she fell to the ground the offender continued kicking and stamping on her. As a result she suffered an injury to her right leg which later developed a malignant bone tumour. The leg was amputated and after being fitted with an artificial leg Detective Hawkes returned to work. On 17 December 1982 she was discharged from the Service medically unfit. Unfortunately on 19 April 1986 Detective Sergeant Hawkes lapsed into a coma and died three days later. The Sergeant was born in 1939 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 16 August 1965.’

On this day

Constable

Denis Robert RYAN

YEAR OF DEATH

22 April 1881

JURISDICTION

Queensland

DETAILS OF DEATH

Drowned after being washed overboard whilst transferring police horses from the steamship Katoomba to the Mainland near Port Douglas 22/4/1881. He is mentioned in a Townsville Police report written by the Snr Sgt 30.3.1881 as having attended an incident on Ross Island and newspaper reports mention him in charge of police horses with information obtained directly from the telegram to the Assistant Commissioner. He was attached to duty with a fellow Constable, John Allen (no. 357) and the report from Allen describing Ryan’s death endorsed by Sen Constable Farquhar (No. 397) is printed in the Brisbane Courier, 6 May 1881. The file of Constable Allen testifies Townsville, Cooktown and Port Douglas as areas of service. Most probably for mounted escort duty for bullion reference (Gold Escort allowance). This would collaborate the service of Ryan as both seem to have joined at the same time ( based on almost sequential service numbers) and served in the same places. Allen left the service 18 days after the incident and Farquhar resigned seven weeks later. In the newspaper reports there is the following account of the incident. Constables Ryan and Allen took a lighter to meet the steamer Katoomba from Brisbane and collect a number of Police horses. There is confirmation as to 11 horses being delivered at this time in the entries of the Police stud diary Cooktown district. The lighter returned to the shore but was caught in a heavy swell where a wave swamped the craft and washed Ryan and three horses into the sea. A preserver was thrown to Ryan by Allen but Ryan disappeared beneath the water and was not seen again. Two of the three horses also drowned. A suqsequent search for Ryan failed to locate his body but did find the preserver and some driftwood from the lighter.