National Police Memorial

On this day

Senior Constable

James Leslie DUNSCOMBE

YEAR OF DEATH

11 December 2004

JURISDICTION

Victoria

DETAILS OF DEATH

Senior Constable James Leslie Dunscombe (23016) joined Victoria Police on 29 June 1981 and had a successful 23 year police career, ultimately being stationed at the Corio Police Station in the Geelong area. On 11 December 2004, Senior Constable Dunscombe and Senior Constable Graham Cawdwell (30727) were rostered to perform divisional van duties at the Corio Police Station. Senior Constable Caldwell was the driver of the police divisional van and Dunscombe was the observer. At approximately 8.30pm, both officers attended an EDSEC security alarm job at the Corio Primary School in Hendy Street, Corio. This was a priority job as these alarms were quite often the result of youths breaking into the schools and burglary. They arrived at the school quite quickly in response and were both in a heighten state of awareness due to the history and reliability of these types of alarms. After patrolling the school and finding no issues, both officers stopped to speak to two males on the oval as they were walking back to their vehicle to find out if they had witnessed anything. Just as they were about to leave the two males, Senior Constable Dunscombe turned towards Senior Constable Caldwell and then suddenly collapsed unconscious face first onto the ground. This happened quite suddenly and without notice. Senior Constable Caldwell called for backup and commenced chest compressions on Senior Constable Dunscombe, continuing this into the Ambulance and whilst on-route to the Geelong Hospital. He ceased this upon arrival at the Hospital after performing approximately 50 minutes of continuous compressions. Senior Constable Dunscombe was pronounced deceased at the Geelong Hospital shortly after this.

On this day

Sergeant

John D NEIDECK

YEAR OF DEATH

11 December 1984

JURISDICTION

Queensland

DETAILS OF DEATH

Sergeant Neideck was killed in a traffic incident at Mudgeeraba.

On this day

Senior Constable

Allen David PRICE

YEAR OF DEATH

11 December 1981

JURISDICTION

Northern Territory

DETAILS OF DEATH

Allen Price joined the Northern Territory Police on 20 October 1961 and was attached to the Relieving Section of the Force for many years. He served throughout the Northern Territory including Adelaide River Port Keats (Wadeye) and Mataranka. Senior Constable Price was called on duty on the night of 11 December 1981 because of a fight that had begun in the main street at Mataranka. He died as a result of a heart attack while attempting to quell the disturbance.

On this day

Sergeant 2nd Class

Ramsay DOBBIE

YEAR OF DEATH

11 December 1917

JURISDICTION

New South Wales

DETAILS OF DEATH

The Sergeant suffered serious internal injuries while trying to apprehend the offender McClennan at Ulmarra. He had been called to a complaint of Unseemly Words involving an intoxicated male. As the Sergeant approached the offender whom he found sitting in a sulky the offender whipped the horses into a gallop. The Sergeant caught hold of the sulky and climbed aboard however the offender quickly jumped clear. As the conveyance rounded a corner it collided with a pole throwing the Sergeant to the ground causing severe internal injuries. He died a short time later. The Sergeant was born in 1870 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 4 February 1895. At the time of his death he was stationed at Ulmarra.