A homicide detective who took his own life while on duty had been Standing at an international airportThe report came two days earlier, the state police commissioner said.
The 45-year-old officer died in the early hours of Monday at the homicide squad headquarters in Northbridge, central Perth.
His death is not being treated as suspicious.
Western Australia Police Commissioner Colonel Blanch said officers were in contact with Australian Border Force personnel to investigate why the officer was detained at Perth International Airport on Saturday and whether the incident could be linked to the tragedy.
“He was arrested and was returning from a family event overseas,” Commissioner Blanch told Perth radio station 6PR on Tuesday.
“We don’t know if that has any relation to what happened, but it is certainly one of the focuses of the investigation at the moment.”
Commissioner Blanch said he understood the officer was on duty at the time of his death.
“My priority right now is the well-being of his family, he has family both here and abroad and also the officers, certainly the officers who were present in the building and also colleagues from his career… our health and wellness area has been deployed across the agency,” Blanch said.
Western Australia Police Commissioner Colonel Blanch said his officers were in contact with Border Force personnel to investigate why the detective was detained at Perth International Airport.
Western Australia Police Union president Paul Gale told the West Australian the loss has shaken the police community.
“All of our members, both here and across Australia, will be affected by this,” Gale said.
Meanwhile, a former detective colleague has paid tribute to him, describing the late police officer as “a gentle and kind soul who was dedicated and committed to serving the Western Australian community”.
Cameron Blaine, who was a detective on the Perth homicide squad, said the officer was well respected and popular in the police community.
“He was humble, thorough, caring and well-liked by his coworkers,” Blaine wrote on LinkedIn.
The detective took his own life at the homicide squad’s headquarters in Northbridge, on Stirling Street.
“His passing is an incredible loss and he will be greatly missed.”
Mr Blaine has been a critic of WA Police for what he says is a lack of attention to officers’ mental health.
“The police’s handling of mental health would (in my opinion) be best described as a mix of apathy, ignorance, neglect, indifference and tokenism. It’s long overdue for a change,” he wrote on LinkedIn..
‘He The dropout rate is reminiscent of the opening scenes of the film All Quiet on the Western Front.
“Their ‘burn and remove’ policy is not without consequences. Experienced officers who have left the force are the lucky ones.
“Culture must change, starting from the top.”
Last year, WA Police announced the state’s homicide squad was under-resourced and overwhelmed after a surge in murder cases.
This resulted in additional officers being sent to the Northbridge-based homicide unit to assist.
Police are still investigating the man’s death but say there are no suspicious circumstances.
Officers will compile a report for the coroner.
For free mental health support, call Lifeline Australia: 13 11 14
For help with anxiety and depression call Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36
