Australia
Mourners pay respects to slain cop
Tears have flowed, mixed with laughter, for a larger-than-life veteran policeman gunned down just over a week before he was supposed to retire.
Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson has been farewelled with full police honours in a funeral at the Victoria Police Academy.
The 59-year-old was one of two officers killed on August 26 while serving a warrant on Dezi Freeman at a property in Porepunkah, about 300km northeast of Melbourne.
His partner, Sergeant Lisa Thompson, broke down while leading the tributes for the man affectionately known as "Thommo".
She met Det Sen Const Thompson in 2016 after arriving at Wangaratta Police Station as a constable.
"We worked one shift together and it changed the course of my life," Sgt Thompson told mourners.
"I had never laughed so much with someone and as I drove home that night reflecting on my day, I knew with absolute certainty that I wanted to be a detective."
They were "opposites in every way" but "unstoppable" together, and he formed a close bond with her children.
"He greeted the kids each day by saying, 'Hey midget have you done your push-ups'," the Benalla-based sergeant said.
Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson was farewelled at the Police Academy Chapel in Melbourne. – AAP
Their last weekend was spent working on their farm before wining and dining under the stars, leaving nothing unsaid.
"I don't want to live my life without you and I don't want to finish our dreams on my own," Sgt Thompson said.
"But I will, I promise.
"I will be brave, I will love you, I will honour and cherish every moment that I spent with you."
Several photos of Det Sen Const Thompson were on display in the chapel along with four medals, including a posthumously awarded Victoria Police Star.
His sister Lois Kirk told mourners she once chatted to her brother about his will.
He quipped he didn't need one because he was never going to die.
"If only that was true," she said through tears.
"You were the golden boy, the adventurer, the protector."
Several photos and medals were placed at the front of the chapel for the service. – AAP
Det Sen Const Thompson joined the police in 1987 and worked his way up to being a detective at the Major Fraud Squad and the State Crime Squad, before shifting to Wangaratta to join the Crime Investigation Unit in 2007.
Colleague Paul Campbell said he made coming to work a pleasure and thought he was "indestructible".
"Neal had previously been shot, stabbed, rolled cars and beaten cancer," he added.
"He had also been in 16 police collisions, actually 17 – that was a couple of weeks ago."
Det Sen Const Thompson was due to work his last shift on September 5 and had said ahead of his retirement he was "going to miss this stuff".
Uniformed members of the force formed a guard of honour after the service, as they did for Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart, who lost his life in the same incident.
Sen Const de Waart-Hottart's parents also attended the service, along with the third injured officer who survived the alleged ambush by Freeman.
Freeman remains at large after fleeing into bushland almost two weeks ago.
Hundreds of officers continue to look for him in Victoria's high country.
A $1 million reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest of Freeman, 56, who was last seen wearing dark green or khaki tracksuit pants, a dark green rain jacket, brown Blundstone boots and reading glasses.
It's the largest reward in Victoria's history to be offered for an arrest, rather than a conviction.
