Coroner Simon Cooper held an inquiry into the suicide deaths of four Tasmania police officers

A Tasmanian Coroner has delivered his findings following an inquest into the suicide deaths of four police officers.

Funeral for Police Officer Robert Cooke at North Hobart. Picture Chris Kidd

A fatigue management policy and routine PTSD screening are among a Coroner’s recommendations following an inquest into the suicide deaths of four Tasmania Police officers.

In findings released on Friday, Coroner Simon Cooper said the deaths of Constable Paul Hunt, Senior Sergeant Paul Reynolds and Sergeant Robert Cooke were related - in different ways - to their role as police officers.

In the case of Constable Simon Darke, Mr Cooper said the evidence did not support a conclusion that anything about his service as a police officer contributed to his death.

The officers all died in separate incidents between 2016 and 2020.

Their deaths by suicide, close together, were the first by any serving police officers in Tasmania since 1991.

“The death of any member of the community by suicide is a tragedy. The suicide of

serving police officers, whatever their individual circumstances, is particularly tragic for

serving members of the police force and the community at large. My sincere hope is

that some improvements and learnings can emerge from the deaths of Constable Hunt, Senior Sergeant Reynolds, Constable Darke and Sergeant Cooke,” Mr Cooper said.

Tasmania Police Constable Paul Hunt, who died by suicide on July 8, 2018, at Mount Direction. Picture: Facebook

Constable Hunt, 32, died, at his father’s Mount Direction property on July 8, 2016, the day he had a meeting with, Professional Standards Command to tell him he was being stood down.

The night before the death of Senior Sergeant Reynolds, 54, on September 13, 2018, a search warrant was executed on his Westbury home.

Professional Standards was acting on allegations Sergeant Reynolds was a paedophile.

Paul Reynolds

Mr Cooper said Professional Standards had been wrong to take the officers’ phones without issuing replacements.

“Obviously, attempts to locate Constable Hunt were made extremely difficult by the fact that his mobile telephone had been unlawfully taken from him,” Mr Cooper said.

“As was the case with Constable Hunt, the failure to provide Senior Sergeant Reynolds with a replacement mobile telephone was, in my view, wrong and contrary to existing guidelines.”

Senior Sargeant Cooke, 49, who died on October 13, 2020 had been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder directly related to policing.

Constable Darke, 45, died on February 6, 2019.

Relationship breakdowns, child custody arrangements and long working hours were considered in relation to Constable Darke’s mental health.

Simon Darke

Mr Cooper made nine recommendations, including:

THAT Tasmania Police immediately develop and implement a fatigue management policy

THE commander of Professional Standards ensure a representative from both Wellbeing Support and the Police Association attends any search, meeting or interview.

THAT Tasmania Police amend all relevant documentation to make clear that it is mandatory to provide a member who has had their personal mobile phone seized by Professional Standards be provided with a replacement mobile

THAT Tasmania Police conduct mandatory six monthly wellbeing screening of all

operational police officers for PTSD.

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