Family and friends pay tribute to brave officer

Family and friends gathered to pay tribute to Sergeant Glen Huitson.

15th Anniversary this Sunday, 3 August. Brevet Sergeant Glen Anthony Huitson was killed in the execution of his duty in Darwin on 3 August 1999. All current and former members are invited to join Glen’s family in remembering a husband, father, son, and workmate who was tragically taken from his family 15 years ago. The commemoration will commence at 4.00pm Sunday 3 August 2014 at the Glen Huitson Memorial on the corner of the Stuart Highway and Old Bynoe Road, Livingstone. For further information, please contact the NT Police Association office on 8981 8840 or by email [e-mail]

IT was 15 years on Sunday since one of NT Police’s darkest days.

On August 3, 1999 Brevet Sergeant Glen Anthony Huitson was manning a roadblock on the Stuart Highway at Livingstone when he was shot and killed by “Crocodile Dundee” Rod Ansell.

Sgt Glen Huitson

Ansell was then hit with fatal return fire by Sgt Huitson’s partner, Senior Constable Jamie O’Brien.

He was the first policeman to be murdered on duty in the Territory for 47 years, and to this date he remains the last.

Sgt Huitson’s wife Lisa said the anniversary was always emotional.

“But he’s always with us and it’s good to see his colleagues and friends return,” she said.

“It’s nice to come back.”

The couple’s children Joe and Ruby were just 2 and 10 months old when their father was killed.

Police Commissioner John McRoberts said the memorial was a sobering reminder of the dangers of policing.

“It’s really good to pay our respects to a man who died doing what he loved and wanted to do – which was serve and protect,” he said.

Sgt Huitson joined the NT Police in January 1987. He served in both Southern and Northern districts.

During his service, he received a Commendation from the Commissioner of Police in March 1994 when he attended a disturbance at a community near Alice Springs. He disarmed a drunk armed with a knife and star picket, and was threatening another person with a billy of boiling water.

Then in February of 1999 in Litchfield Park, he disarmed an armed man who was threatening the driver and passengers of a bus. He received a Valour Award over this incident.

For the incident which cost him his life, he was awarded the Australia Bravery Medal, and a bar to his Valour Medal.