Australian Police

Australian Police

The Thin Blue Line – Australian Police

1987ArticlesCauseCommittedCrematedCurrently ServingDeceased PoliceDepartmentalDepressionFirearmFuneralGenderGPSGraveIllnessIn UniformLocationMaleMemorial Touch PlateMonumentNSWOf eventOf graveOff DutyPhotosStateSuicideUnknownWall of RemembranceYearYes

Andrew Thomas DIXON

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Andrew Thomas DIXON

New South Wales Police Force

Goulburn Police Academy – Class 222

Regd. #  229 or 230??

Rank:  Commenced Training at Goulburn Police Academy on 18 August 1986

Probationary Constable – appointed 7 November 1986

Final Rank:  Probationary Constable

Stations:  Pennant Hills October 1986 to 3 June 1987

Awards:  Nil

Service:

From  18 August 1986  to  3 June 1987 = 11 months

Born: ? ? 1966

Died:  Wednesday  3 June 1987

Age:  20

Cause:  Illness – Suicide by Service firearm

Location:  at Lane Cover River Park, Lane Cove.

Funeral date?

Funeral location:

Eastwood

Grave Location:  Cremated

Memorial plaque at Northern Suburbs Crematorium, Delhi Road, North Ryde, NSW

Niche:  Row ‘TO’, plaque # 348

andrew-dixon-plague

Touch plate at the National Police Wall of Remembrance, Canberra.

 

Touch plate at the National Police Wall of Remembrance, Canberra.

Andrew Thomas DIXON. Plaque condition as of 8/9/2020
Andrew Thomas DIXON.   Plaque condition as of 8/9/2020

ANDREW IS mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance

 

In April, 1987 Constable Dixon and other police attended a serious motor vehicle accident at Mt Colah. A person trapped in the vehicle became violent when released and Constable Dixon assisted in restraining him. During the struggle the constable was covered in a considerable amount of the injured person’s blood. It was later discovered that this person suffered from HIV/AIDS. Due to stress and concern over the disease, Constable Dixon drove to the Lane Cove River Park on 3 June, 1987 and committed suicide.

The constable was born in 1966 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 18 August, 1986. At the time of his death he was stationed at Pennant Hills.



 

From Kevin Banister – I remember this very well. I was working at Pennant Hills when Andrew arrived as a fresh faced Probationary Constable. He was a fine young man built like a brick s**thouse. When he was told that the accident victim had HIV/AIDS he began to withdraw very quickly. All at the station were concerned for his welfare and tried to help where possible.

On the afternoon of 3/06/87 Andrew had worked morning shift and I was on afternoon shift. At the hand over Andrew said goodbye with a smile on his face and went home, or so I thought. I was not aware that he was supposed to be attending the PMO (Police Medical Officer) for an appointment after work. I got a call from his mother just before sundown to say that Andrew had not come home and were concerned for his welfare. Pennant Hills was a Rescue Squad/General duties station at the time and I was the senior operator rostered on. I made a number of phone calls including to the Lane Cove station and Marrickville Rescue base. Not long after we received info that Andrew’s car had been located in a dead end street off Delhi Road beside the Lane Cove river.

As a result I and my offsider Bob Hanson attended in the Rescue vehicle. Numerous other Police vehicles arrived along with the Water Police. I organised a number of search parties and headed into the scrub towards the river. Reached the riverbank and saw that the Water Police had also began a search in the area we were in. Again, a short time later I and my offsider found the body of Andrew with his service revolver by his side. I indicated to the Water Police to come over (not using the radio) and told them that they were no longer required. The boat crew saluted and left the scene. A discrete message was sent to the command post as I knew that his parents were at the post and could hear the radio transmissions.

When we emerged from the bush with Andrew’s body many of the Police were in tears as he was a local boy and well known. His funeral was standing room only and the street blocked off for the overflow. During the period of the time of the accident and Andrew’s death he had a number of blood samples taken, but due to the technology of the time he was told that it could be some time before they knew if he had became infected. About a month after his death we were informed that he had not become infected. R.I.P. my friend.

 

Andrew Thomas DIXON

Andrew Thomas DIXON

 

 


 

4 thoughts on “Andrew Thomas DIXON

  • I grew up playing rugby against the “terror” Dixon twins (Chris and Andrew) and we three represented Eastwood Rugby in junior State Cup championships. The twins were great adversaries and we became great team mates in representative rugby. I went to the funeral – and yes it overflowed to the street, where I and my friends attended the service.

    Reply
  • Jodie Gibson

    Andrew was my class mate, was coming to my 21st. Leant me albums and never turned up. A beautiful soul. Too sad xx

    Reply
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  • Kevin Banister

    I remember this very well. I was working at Pennant Hills when Andrew arrived as a fresh faced Probationary Constable. He was a fine young man built like a brick s**thouse. When he was told that the accident victim had HIV/AIDS he began to withdraw very quickly. On the afternoon of 3/06/87 Andrew had worked morning shift and I was on afternoon shift. At the hand over Andrew said goodby with a smile on his face and went home, or so I thought. I got a call from his mother just before sundown to say that Andrew had not come home and were concerned for his welfare. Pennant Hills was a Rescue Squad/General duties station at the time and I was the senior operator rostered on. I made a number of phone calls including to the Lane Cove station. Not long after we received info that Andrews car had been located in a dead end street beside the Lane Cove river. As a result I and my offsider attended in the Rescue vehicle. Numerous other Police vehicles arrived along with the Water Police. I organised a number of search parties and headed into the scrub towards the river. Reached the riverbank and saw that the Water Police had also began a search in the area we were in. Again, a short time later we found the body of Andrew with his service revolver by his side. I indicated to the Water Police that they were no longer required. The boat crew saluted and left the scene. A discrete message was sent to the command post as I knew that his parents were at the post and could hear the radio transmissions. When we emerged from the bush with Andrews body many of the Police were in tears as he was a local boy and well known. His funeral was standing room only and the street blocked off for the overflow. During the period of the time of the accident and Andrews death he had a number of blood samples taken, but due to the technology of the time he was told that it could be some time before they knew if he had became infected. About a month after his death we were informed that he had not become infected. R.I.P. my friend.

    Reply

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