Family of Slain Victorian Police Officer to Sue Force Over Alleged Neglect
The family of a senior Victorian police officer shot dead by a fugitive gunman has announced plans to sue Victoria Police, accusing the force of exacerbating their grief through exclusion and inadequate communication. Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, aged 59, was one of two officers killed during a raid on Dezi Freeman's bus near Porepunkah in northeast Victoria on August 26.
Allegations of Communication Failures and Exclusion
For the first time since the shooting, Thompson's sisters, Dianne Thompson and Lois Kirk, have spoken publicly, alleging significant failures by police leadership in the weeks and months following their brother's death. They claim their confidence in Victoria Police began to unravel almost immediately, after learning of Thompson's death via a phone call rather than in person, and assert that communication only deteriorated over time.
'We have been under extreme emotional stress and trauma since our big brother Neal was shot and killed on August 26,' Dianne Thompson told the Sunday Herald Sun. 'The grief alone is bad enough, but to be completely ignored by Victoria Police from the day Neal died to now is beyond comprehension.'
The sisters allege they were not kept informed about key developments, were not offered the opportunity to travel to Porepunkah in the days after the shooting, and felt marginalised during their brother's funeral and subsequent memorial events. They also report learning that Freeman had been shot dead last week, after being on the run for 216 days, not from police, but through their lawyer after missed calls.
Detailed Complaints and Legal Action
In a detailed letter sent to Chief Commissioner Mike Bush in December, the sisters outlined what they described as ongoing neglect. This included being unaware of memorial services and being unable to collect their brother's ashes. 'His loss has left a permanent fracture in our family, in our daily lives, and in the fabric of who we are,' they wrote. 'We expected grief, we expected heartbreak, but we did not expect to feel invisible.'
They further described being seated away from close family members at Thompson's funeral and said they were forced to introduce themselves to senior political figures in attendance. 'We had to approach the Prime Minister and the Premier ourselves, as they did not know who we were,' Dianne said.
The sisters, represented by police accountability lawyer Jeremy King, will participate in a forthcoming coronial inquest into the deaths of the two officers. At the time of the fatal raid, Freeman was living in a bus and was the subject of a warrant over alleged historical sex offences, despite being banned from owning firearms.
Police Response and Ongoing Discussions
In a statement, Victoria Police said the past seven months had been 'an incredibly difficult time' following the incident at Porepunkah, particularly for the families of the two officers who were killed. Police stated they had been in contact with the families since the incident and had taken steps to keep them informed while ensuring support services were in place.
The statement noted that the Chief Commissioner had spoken directly on multiple occasions with Thompson's partner, the parents of Senior Constable Vadim de Waart‑Hottart—who was also fatally shot in the raid—and the officer seriously injured during the August 26 incident. Victoria Police acknowledged concerns raised by Thompson's sisters and confirmed officers had met with them following correspondence sent to the Chief Commissioner.
Police said liaison officers from the Homicide Squad and the local area had been appointed to provide updates on the investigation and support around welfare and memorial events. 'While every effort is made to provide timely updates to all families involved, we are always conscious of the need to manage ongoing investigations,' the statement said. Victoria Police added that discussions with the sisters were continuing but it would not be appropriate to provide further details.
