Constable 1st Class
William G PENSE
YEAR OF DEATH
1979
JURISDICTION
Western Australia
DETAILS OF DEATH
Constable Pense and Sargeant James Keelan, stationed at Mt Barker, attended at the farm of Donald Edwin Parre. As Keelan approached the front door, Parre shot him with a .22 calibre rifle. Pense ran towards Parre as he advanced, firing from his hip, and was shot four times in the upper body. He continued forward, seized Parre, and disarmed him. Parre pulled a .32 calibre pistol, firing three shots into Pense’s heart. Keelan ran to help Pense who lay dying. Parre began shooting with another rifle as Keelan radioed for help, hitting the van another five times. Parre was arrested by Albany Detectives and is serving a life sentence. Pense was posthumously awarded the George Medal for Bravery on the 4th of November 1979. He was born in Wickepin the 16th of August 1934. Pense joined the Police Force on 15th August 1958.
