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Australian Police

The Thin Blue Line – Australian Police

2002ArticlesBuriedCarCauseCurrently ServingDeceased PoliceFuneralGenderGPSLocationMaleNSWOf Church serviceOf eventOf graveOn DutyPassenger ( Rear )PhotosStateUrgent DutyVehicle accidentVideoWall of RemembranceWall to WallYearYes

Robert Edwin BROTHERSON

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Police Remembrance Day:

Robert Edwin BROTHERSON

late of Oak Flats

New South Wales Police Force

Goulburn Police Academy – Class DPP 10 ( Class 4 )( Class 284 )

Rank:  Nil.  Student Police Officer ( S.P.O. )

Stations:  NSW Police Academy Goulburn, Warilla ( Lake Illawarra ) – Field Placement

ServiceFrom  ? September 2001  to 1 February 2002 = 4+ months

Born:  Tuesday 18 April 1972

Event:  Thursday  24 January 2002

Died:  Friday 1 February 2002

Cause:  Motor Vehicle Accident – Rear seat passenger, F6, Dapto

Age:  29 years, 9 months, 14 days

Funeral date:  Wednesday  6 February 2002 @ 10am

Funeral location:  St Paul’s Catholic Church, Tongarra Rd, Albion Park

Buried at:  Lakeside Memorial Park, Kanahooka Lawn Cemetery, Kanahooka Rd, Kanahooka, NSW

Grave GPS:

 

Robert BROTHERSON
Robert BROTHERSON
Headstone
Headstone

 

Touch plate - National Police Wall of Remembrance, Canberra
Touch plate – National Police Wall of Remembrance, Canberra

Robert IS mentioned on the National Police Wall of Remembrance

About 7.20pm on 24 January, 2002 the student was a rear nearside passenger in a police Commodore sedan on the F6 Freeway at Dapto, heading to a Persons Trapped traffic accident, when the police vehicle, negotiating a broad right bend, hit a sheet of water, causing aquaplaning ( asymmetrical drag ), spun and collided with an oncoming truck. The student sustained critical head and internal injuries and was admitted to the Wollongong Hospital where he passed away, 9 days later, on 1 February, 2002.

At the time of his death the Student Police Officer was on the field placement phase of his police training at the Lake Illawarra Local Area Command.

 

I have absolutely no doubt that had we not had this unfortunate accident, Rob would have made a great policeman.  Sorry mate !.

 

The death of Student Police Officer Robert Brotherson, who was a Student at the Goulburn Police Academy, led to the Robert Brotherson Trophy which is now presented to the student with the highest academic achievement in the policing program, at the Academy, during each new course.  The trophy is awarded to that highest academic achiever at the Attestation Parade.


 

 

 


Police Remembrance Day:  30 years

Nan Tien Temple, Berkeley, NSW

 

 


Police Remembrance Day:

Family members lay a wreath for Robert Edwin Brotherson. Picture: ANDY ZAKELI<br />
Family members lay a wreath for Robert Edwin Brotherson. Picture: ANDY ZAKELI

Almost 60 years on, Kenneth Nash still misses his uncle Allen.

Sergeant Allen William Nash, aged 40, was killed in the line of duty by a gun-wielding offender at Primbee in 1956.

Sgt Nash was one of eight officers stationed in the Lake Illawarra local area command who were recognised with memorial plaques on a wall of honour outside Lake Illawarra police station on Monday, as part of Police Remembrance Day commemorations.

Dozens of current and retired officers, families, friends, politicians, councillors and members of the public gathered at Oak Flats for a ceremony to unveil the memorial wall, and honour past and present officers.

 

Since 1862, more than 250 NSW Police officers have died in the line of duty.

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/2591540/lake-illawarra-officers-honoured-on-police-remembrance-day-photos/


Honouring the fallen

By DANIELLE CETINSKI

March 19, 2014, midnight

Police officer Robert Brotherson was killed in 2002. Lake Illawarra Police are creating a memorial wall in his and other fallen officers' honours. Pictured are Melissa Brotherson and her sons Ewan and Blake. Picture: ALBEY BOND
Police officer Robert Brotherson was killed in 2002.  Lake Illawarra Police are creating a memorial wall in his and other fallen officers’ honours. Pictured are Melissa Brotherson and her sons Ewan and Blake. Picture: ALBEY BOND

AN adventurous young man who wanted to help people will be one of eight officers acknowledged on Police Remembrance Day, when a memorial wall is unveiled in their honour at Lake Illawarra Police Station.

Robert Brotherson from Oak Flats was working in a cake shop with his parents in 2001 when he and his wife, Melissa, decided he would follow his dream to be a police officer.

But the dream was cut short on February 1, 2002, when the student officer was critically injured in a collision between a police car and a truck.

His life support was turned off eight days later.

The 29-year-old left behind two young sons, Blake and Ewan, who are now 14 and 13.

Melissa Brotherson said she was pleased Lake Illawarra Police had decided to recognise the eight officers.

“A lot of people don’t realise that our local police take risks to protect the community,” she said.

“That Rob was a student police officer makes it even more special – the fact that the police family still honours someone just at the start of their career.”

Ms Brotherson remembered her late husband as an “old-fashioned gentleman” who did not shy away from a skydive or a bungy jump.
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“He had a sense of compassion and empathy – he was the type of kid to take in a hurt animal and that extended to people,” she said.

“He wasn’t there [in the police force] for the glory, he wanted to help people.”

The command area has lost eight officers since 1951, either while on duty or as a result of injuries sustained on the job.

An outdoor commemorative plaque will be unveiled on Police Remembrance Day, September 29, and the station flag will be lowered to half-mast.

Along with Mr Brotherson, police will remember Constable Peter Carter who was killed in 1988, Detective Constable Steven Tier (1985), Constable Peter Hardacre (1962), Constable Francis Burke (1961), Sergeant Allen Nash (1956), Sergeant William Smith (1951) and Constable Frederick McLaughlan, who was medically discharged in 1930 and died in 1938.

Lake Illawarra Local Area Commander Wayne Starling encouraged families of the fallen to come forward so they could be invited to the ceremony and contribute photographs for the display.

Family members can contact Sergeant Jason Harrison on 4232 5326 or email HARR2JAS@police.nsw.gov.au.

They can also send a personal message via the Lake Illawarra Local Area Command’s Eyewatch page on Facebook by visiting facebook.com/LakeillawarraLAC.

http://www.kiamaindependent.com.au/story/2155913/honouring-the-fallen/


 

In memory of Illawarra heroes in blue

 

Police Legacy Stories – Mel

Published on Aug 1, 2016


 

 

 

 

 

 

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