Family of slain Queensland policeman Brett Forte speak after shooting
UPDATE: Queensland policeman Brett Forte died saving his colleague’s life after their patrol car was peppered with bullets on Monday. His dad says he was “born to be a hero”.
Crime & Justice
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THE father of a Queensland police officer who was shot and killed this week said his son was “born to be a hero”.
Senior Constable Brett Forte was killed by “wanted man” Rick Maddison following a traffic stop in the Lockyer Valley around 2pm on Monday.
The Senior Constable died while trying to save his partner’s life after their patrol car was peppered with a volley of bullets by career criminal Maddison.
His partner’s parents, Ross and Pat Ibell, have revealed it was Sen Const. Forte’s bravery and actions in reversing their car under the heavy machinegun fire which saved their daughter Cathy’s life on Monday afternoon.
Brett’s father Stuart Forte said he was not surprised to hear of the courage of his son — a third-generation policeman.
“I think he was born to be a hero,” the former officer told the Seven Network.
“He was born into a police family and he just went along ... the people he looked up to were my friends.
“Brett was a very good police officer; my wife and I are extremely proud of him.” Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said Sen Const. Forte was shot immediately but still had “the sense, the fortitude and the courage to try and back out of the situation to try and protect his partner who was sitting beside him in the car”. “I would call him a hero in every sense of the word,” Mr Stewart told the Nine Network.
“My wife and I are extremely proud of him.†– Brett Forte’s father. #7News pic.twitter.com/NGhwuJjnCs
— 7 News Queensland (@7NewsQueensland) May 31, 2017
Members of the Forte family, including Brett’s father Stuart, visited the growing shrine for the fallen cop at the Toowoomba police station this morning.
Mr Forte, who is a former police officer, said the family was “coping” and thanked the public for their support.
“The flowers are beautiful and sentiments are fantastic, it all helps with us to try and grieve because of our loss.
“Actually Brett would have loved the attention, I’m sure. We are coping, getting a little bit better, can only take one day at a time,” he told Channel 7.
Mr Forte said he particularly wanted to thank Brett’s police partner and the other officers who were on the scene when he died.
“His partner … and two officers from Helidon who were in the car behind them, who pulled Brett out and tried to save his life.
“The police are a big family and this shows that the public appreciate what the police do for them when someone makes that ultimate sacrifice and their thoughts are with us and it helps with the grieving process as well,” he said.
Mr Forte said Brett was a third generation police officer and “born to be a hero”.
“Brett loved the police.
“I caught him riding my police bike around the house one day when he was so little he couldn’t even touch the ground while he was sitting on it and he used to sneak out and put the radio on the police bike.”
He said the family had asked the Queensland Police Service to give Brett a big police send off.
“We have asked that (they do) whatever they can to send him off in the best style possible,” he said.
Mr Forte said Brett’s wife was “still very upset” and stayed home with her daughter while the rest of the family visited the growing shrine outside the police station in Toowoomba this morning.
“It’s a very big thing to realise that 99.9 per cent of the public are so supportive of the family when this happens and of the police when they lose somebody in the line of duty,” he said.
Brett’s brothers Luke and Chris said the family was “proud” and called him “everyone’s hero”.
“He loved his job, he loved the people he worked with and we’re very proud of him, he’s a hero … I think he’s everyone’s hero here in Toowoomba and Australia-wide so we’re really, really proud,” said Luke.
“It’s very shattering to lose a brother and it’s still very, very raw at the moment but we’ll keep his memories living forever and we’ll be looking after his family as much as possible,” Chris said.
Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers, who previously worked with the Toowoomba-based officer in Ipswich, said everything was being done for the grieving family.
“I have been in contact with some of Brett’s family, I haven’t spoken to his wife (Susan) because she is too distraught. They are really doing it tough at the moment,” he said.
Sen Const. Forte’s best friend, Bryce Coventon, said the 41-year-old father-of- three had recently become worried about the risks of the job. Mr Coventon said the prevalence of drugs in the Toowoomba area had heightened his concerns.
“The last few times I saw him, he did let it (be) known that he was a little bit scared about the job,” he told ABC radio.
“But he just didn’t know what else to do. But he just passionately loved the job.” Floral tributes have been left outside the police station where he served as a member of Toowoomba’s Tactical Crime Squad.
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