A sea of navy blue has surrounded the coffin of a young officer gunned down in his prime as the hunt continues for his alleged killer.
Senior Constable Vadim De Waart-Hottart, 34, is being farewelled by loved ones, friends, colleagues and political leaders at a private funeral at the Victoria Police Academy on Friday.
Ahead of the service, the area around the academy in Melbourne’s east was eerily quiet as hundreds of members, alongside police dogs, gathered both inside and outside the on-site chapel.
The chapel’s capacity was doubled from 500 people to more than 1000 people, but it still wasn’t enough, with officers spilling into hallways and overflow rooms.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Chief Commissioner Mike Bush, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan and Police Minister Anthony Carbines are among the mourners.
A table was set up in the chapel with medals, which Sen Const De Waart-Hottarthe will be awarded, along with a statue of Batman, a childhood favourite.
Once the ceremony is over, the police air wing will perform a flyover as his colleagues line the surrounding streets in a guard of honour for the exiting coffin.
A private cremation will follow.
Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson was also killed during an alleged violent confrontation with Dezi Freeman while serving a warrant at a property in Porepunkah, about 300km northeast of Melbourne, on August 26.
Another officer was badly injured.
State police union boss Wayne Gatt never met the constable but spoke to hundreds of members who knew the fallen officers.
Sen Const De Waart-Hottart had an infectious smile, he said, with people feeling ease his presence and inspired by his lust and curiosity for life.
“A life that gave more than it took, to have been ended in such a way, is an indescribable injustice and a tragedy … we will never forget him,” he said.
The policing family will again mourn a colleague when Det Lead Sen Const Thompson is farewelled with full honours on Monday.
Both funerals are private and members of the public were been asked not to attend.
Sen Const De Waart-Hottart grew up in Belgium before joining Victoria Police for what was shaping up to be a long, successful career until his life was cut short in the line of duty.
He had recently arrived at Wangaratta in Victoria’s northeast on a temporary assignment from his role in the public order response team.
Sen Const De Waart-Hottart was fluent in four languages and proud to have purchased his first home in Melbourne in recent years.
An accomplished scuba diver who always picked up a bottle of local gin on his international adventures, he revelled in motorcycle trips with friends and colleagues closer to home.
Sen Const De Waart is survived by his parents, Carolina and Alain, who live in Belgium, and his Switzerland-based younger brother, Sacha.
He also leaves behind aunties, uncles and cousins in Melbourne.
A 44-year veteran, Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Glenn Weir has attended too many funerals for fallen colleagues.
“Today and Monday will be really tough days,” he told ABC Radio Melbourne.
“We wrap our arms around our people and we get on with it, because that’s what we have to do.”
Hundreds of police members and Australian Defence Force personnel continue to scour the high country looking for Freeman, 56, who fled into bushland after the shootings.
More than 100 properties in the Alpine area have been examined and police believe someone knows where he is hiding out.
Freeman shares views consistent with the sovereign citizen movement and is considered to be an experienced bushman.
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