The sisters of police officer Neal Thompson, who was tragically killed by Dezi Freeman, are preparing to take legal action against Victoria Police regarding his death.
This lawsuit centers on the failure to deploy specialized units to carry out a search warrant at Freeman’s residence in Porepunkah in August of the previous year.
Attorneys representing Dianne Thompson and Lois Kirk confirmed their intention to pursue legal recourse following the loss of their brother.
The incident occurred on August 26, when Detective Leading Senior Constable Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart-Hottart were fatally shot by Freeman, while a third officer sustained injuries. Freeman subsequently fled into dense bushland, leading to the largest tactical police operation in Australia’s history.
This operation concluded with Freeman being shot dead in Thologolong, Victoria, after a three-hour standoff with law enforcement.
The decision to initiate legal proceedings follows the sisters’ expressed dissatisfaction with how they were treated by Victoria Police in the aftermath of their brother’s death.
In a letter addressed to Chief Commissioner Mike Bush in December, the sisters voiced feelings of being “abandoned” by the police. They stated that their grief was not acknowledged in a manner they deemed appropriate.
According to a letter obtained by ABC, they described their experience as feeling “invisible” to the police. “Upon receiving the news of Neal’s passing through a phone call rather than in person, it seemed the enormity of our loss was not recognized. A tragedy of such significance warranted compassion and understanding,” they wrote.
“Instead, we were left isolated with devastating news. No one arrived to offer support, no representative to talk to, only silence surrounding us.”
The sisters also expressed disappointment regarding the treatment of family members during their brother’s funeral, noting that some relatives were required to stand while those with less connection were prioritized.
“We had to approach the Prime Minister and the Premier on our own, as they were unaware of our identities,” they revealed. “It was profoundly hurtful to be overlooked during our brother’s Full Police Honors funeral.”
A spokesperson for Victoria Police stated that they have engaged with the sisters since their December letter. “We are in ongoing discussions with them, and they have been assigned police liaison officers from both the Homicide Squad and the local area. This is to ensure that they receive updates on the investigation and additional support regarding their welfare and memorial events,” the spokesperson explained.
