'Committed, respected': tributes flow for slain officer

Yahoo

5 hours ago

A veteran police officer shot dead at a rural property has been remembered as a respected colleague and a passionate cyclist who raised money for charities.
Tasmania's tight-knit northwest community has been left reeling after the death of Constable Keith Anthony Smith on Monday, the first fatal shooting of an officer in the island state in more than a century.
The 57-year-old, who had served in the police force for 25 years, was shot as he approached a property at North Motton while delivering a court-ordered home repossession warrant.
A 46-year-old man, the resident of the property, remained under police guard in hospital on Tuesday afternoon, but was yet to be charged.
Const Smith's name was released with permission from his family.
Commissioner Donna Adams visited his family on Monday night. She said there was a display cabinet in their dining room proudly featuring a police commendation.
"Keith was a respected and committed officer and his loss will be deeply felt across our policing family and the wider community," she said.
"My heart goes out to Keith's wife and family.
"The blue family will come together today and over the next days and weeks. (We) will support the family and each other."
Const Smith had worked at the nearby Ulverstone Police Station for the past five years after joining the force in 2000.
He received the commissioner's medal in 2011 and 20-year clasp in 2021, as well as the national police service medal in 2016.
A passionate cyclist, in 2005 he pedalled through Tasmania to raise money for tsunami victims in Asia and in 2011 rode a 420km mountain route for the Menzies Institute for Medical Research.
"We're a tight-knit community where everybody knows everyone," local mayor Cheryl Fuller said.
"The flow-on effects will touch all of us in one way or another
"I know members of his extended family. They are of course devastated."
It is the first fatal shooting of a police officer in Tasmania since 1922 and the first death of an officer in the line of duty nationwide since late 2023.
Investigators returned to the property on Tuesday.
Const Smith was at the house with another experienced frontline officer, with a supporting team of three specialist operations group officers stationed further away at the driveway.
Ms Adams told ABC Radio the scenario could have been worse if the specialist officers hadn't been there.
The alleged offender was shot in the hand by one of the specialist operations group and then surrendered, police said.
Specialists were often deployed to support frontline officers, Ms Adams said, should they be required if situations escalate.
Police professional standards and the coroner are investigating the incident.
The presence of specialists was routine but changes could be made to protocols if needed, Ms Adams said.
"My priority is the safety of our officers … if change is needed, we'll be making it, and we'll be making it swiftly," she said.
Whether officers knew there was a gun at the property will form part of police investigations.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the state government was ready to provide support to the community.
Police Minister Felix Ellis said the tragedy was "so incomprehensible".
"All of us who have police in our families will be hugging them a little tighter tonight," Mr Ellis said.