Police Deaths in NSW - 1788 to 1996 (15)

In Remembrance of those Police Officers who gave their life

In Remembrance of those Police Officers who gave their life

STEPHEN, Edward Simpson
Constable
8 October, 1967.
In the early hours of 8 October, 1967, Constable Stephen was riding a Police solo motor cycle home at the completion of his shift. He was travelling along Main Road, Cardiff Heights, approaching a crest just before Marshall Street, when a car made a right hand turn in front of him without signaling its intention. Constable Stephen took avasive action and missed the turning vehicle, however the cycle travelled over a number of wheel ruts on the gravel shoulder of the road and crashed. As a result, the Constable sustained severe head injuries and died in hospital a short time later.

The Constable was born in 1945 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 10 May, 1965. At the time of his death he was stationed at Newcastle.

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SCHELL, Adam Boland
Sergeant 2nd Class
8 October, 1968.
In the early hours of 8 October, 1968 Sergeant Schell and Probationary Constable Dick Letchford attended Halvorsens Boats, Bobbin Head, following a report of a break and enter in progress. On their arrival the Police were met by the caretaker Mr Frederick Marshall, and the Sergeant accompanied him to check inside the premises. A short time later Constable Letchford apprehended two offenders whom he had seen running from the direction Sergeant Schell and Mr Marshall had taken. When Police reinforcements arrived a few minutes later they were informed that Sergeant Schell and Mr Marshall had been found critically wounded in a storeroom. Mr Marshall had been shot in the head, and Sergeant Schell had been shot five times in the head and body. Despite being rushed to Hornsby Hospital, Sergeant Schell died a short time later. The offenders were later sentenced to life imprisonment.

Sergeant Schell was born in 1916 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 3 July, 1939.

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BURNS, Warren Dennis
Probationary Constable
30 October, 1968.
In the afternoon of 30 October, 1968, Constable Burns was undergoing Police motor cycle training under the supervision of Constable Doaks in the Royal National Park, south of Sydney. As Constable Burns followed Constable Doaks along Farnell Avenue, his cycle skidded on the gravel shoulder of the roadway, struck a guidepost and then collided with a tree stump. Constable Burns was thrown from his cycle into a tree, sustaining fatal injuries. He died a short time later in Sutherland District Hospital.

The Constable was born in 1943 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 5 August, 1968. At the time of his death he was stationed at North Sydney.

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PAFF, Raymond James
Constable
19 March, 1969.
On the night of 5 August, 1953 Constable Paff was directing traffic around a traffic accident on the Princes Highway at Fairy Meadow. A taxi approached the Constable, who was using a torch, and slowed down. Another vehicle that had been travelling behind the taxi attempted to overtake. As it did so it struck Constable Paff, carrying him along about twenty metres and throwing him to the ground. The Constable sustained serious head injuries as a result of the incident. Due to deteriorating health caused by his injuries, Constable Paff was discharge from the Service in March, 1958, and died on 19 March, 1969.

The Constable was born in 1929 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 17 January, 1949. At the time of his injury he was stationed at Wollongong.

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TURNBULL, Robert Vincent
Constable 1st Class
15 April, 1969.
Early in the evening of 15 April, 1969 Constable Turnbull left the Cooma Police Station to travel to Berridale to assist with enquires into a stolen motor vehicle. Heavy rain was falling at the time, and just south of the Snowy Mountains Highway (eight kilometres south of Cooma) Constable Turnbull lost control of his vehicle on the slippery road. The vehicle spun around, travelled backwards for some distance before colliding with a fence post. As a result, Constable Turnbull sustained severe head injuries and died a short time later.

The Constable was born in 1939 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 29 February, 1960. At the time of his death he was stationed at Cooma.

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REIHER, David Bruce
Constable
21 December, 1969.
On 21 December, 1969 Constable Reiher was riding a Police Special Traffic Patrol motor cycle on the Princes Highway at Figtree. It is thought that the Constable was attempting to stop the driver of a station sedan for a traffic offence, and as he overtook the vehicle, his cycle flipped over. He was then thrown into the path of a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction and killed instantly.

The Constable was born in 1946 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 13 May, 1968. At the time of his death he was stationed at Wollongong.

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SARGENT, Warren Melvin Hilliary
Constable 1st Class
9 February, 1970.
In the afternoon of 9 February, 1970 Constable Sargent was returning to Hill End in a Police Land Rover, after attending Court in Bathurst. Whilst travelling along the Turondale Road, just north of Bathurst, the Constable lost control of the vehicle which left the roadway and overturned. Constable Sargent was thrown from the vehicle, sustaining severe head injuries.

The Constable was born in 1944 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 2 November, 1964. At the time of his death he was stationed at Hill End.

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McGOWAN, Ronald Osborne
Sergeant 3rd Class
25 April, 1970.
About midnight on 24 April, 1970, Sergeant McGowan left the Pyrmont Police Station to travel home in his private motor vehicle. It appears that the Sergeant forgot some personal property at the Station and at some stage decided to return to collect it. As he was travelling along Banks Street, Pyrmont, a front wheel of his vehicled apparently buckled, causing the vehicle to leave the roadway and collide with a rock embankment. Sergeant McGowan was taken to Sydney Hospital however was found to be dead on arrival.

The Sergeant was born in 1919 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 9 November, 1949. At the time of his death he was stationed at Pyrmont.

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WARE, Denis Robert
Detective Constable 1st Class
2 October, 1970.
On 2 October, 1970, Detective Constable Ware was part of a specially formed squad attempting to apprehend an armed and dangerous rapist who had been operating in the Sutherland area. A decoy car was set up at Loftus Oval with a number of Police both inside it and surrounding it in darkness. During the stakeout, one of the Police could not be contacted on his portable radio, and when the decoy vehicle left the oval for a short time, Detective Ware went to find out what had happened. As he neared the man with the faulty radio, he was mistaken for the rapist and shot. Constable Ware had not answered when challenged and almost walked over the man on the ground. Visibility and conditions were extremely poor at the time. The Constable was conveyed to the Sutherland District Hospital where he died a short time later.

The Constable was born in 1937 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 16 August, 1965.

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KING, William Edward
Senior Constable
13 August, 1971.
About 6.45pm on 13 August, 1971, Senior Constable King went home to the East Gresford Police Residence for dinner. When he answered a knock on the front door the Constable was shot in the chest. He died a short time later. Enquires later revealed that Senior Constable King had arrested the offender, a sixty-two year old labourer, the previous year for a drink driving offence (DUI). The offender was arrested two hours later after the murder of Senior Constable King, and later sentenced to life imprisonment.

The Constable was born in 1933 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 7 November, 1955. At the time of his death he was stationed at East Gresford.

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