Davenport remembers Police officer who was dedicated to his community

ABC NEWS (Australia)

A police funeral is underway for fallen Tasmanian police officer Keith Smith. Constable Smith was shot and killed last week while trying to issue a re-possession order at a home in North Motton.

Transcript

00:00The streets here in Devonport were really just flooded with officers in their navy and

00:07white who have come from across the state to honour the late Constable Keith Smith.

00:14Now the funeral has begun, it is closed off to the public but it is being live streamed

00:19and I can tell you that Tasmania's top cop Commissioner Donna Adams will be giving an

00:26address.

00:27There's also other officers that will be delivering eulogies so we're expecting Inspector Andrew

00:34Hanson and Sergeant Joshua Hayes to be delivering tributes as well as other colleagues and friends

00:43as well.

00:44Celebrant Denise Wotherspoon will also be delivering a eulogy on behalf of the family.

00:52Now when the funeral itself finishes there will be a full guard of honour and a march down

01:00here in the streets of Devonport and that will travel through to Olverston.

01:05Now because Constable Smith has really had an impact not only on the force but also on

01:13the broader community, members of the public are being encouraged to line the streets and

01:18to farewell a 25 year veteran, a man who has been remembered for being dependable, dedicated

01:26to his community.

01:27But can you tell us more about what happened when Keith Smith died?

01:33Yes I can.

01:34So he and another officer arrived at a property in North Motten here in the states northwest

01:41last Monday and Tasmania police tells us between the car and getting to the front door that Constable

01:51Smith was tragically shot and died at the scene.

01:54Now there was a specialist operations group at the end of the driveway, police specialist

02:01operations group and they were able to get on the scene very quickly and they shot the

02:07alleged offender in the hand.

02:10He was taken to hospital and has since been charged.

02:14His name is Lee Jeffrey Sushamis, he's 46 from North Motten and he's been charged with

02:20murder, attempted murder and aggravated murder and he will next appear and next appear in

02:26court next month.

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