Hero cop and father of three is farewelled just hours after funeral for one of three colleagues also killed when hit by a truck on a Melbourne freeway after pulling over a speeding Porsche
- Senior Constable Kevin King was driven from the academy on Friday about 2pm
- The hearse was accompanied by three police motorcycle riders on his journey
- Only 10 people were allowed into the service due to the COVID-19 lockdown
- Police officers stopped on the spot and paid tribute with a minute's silence
- The police officer was killed alongside three colleagues last week by a truck
- Constable Glen Humphris had his service this morning under driving rain
The third of four police officers killed in last week's tragic truck crash has now been farewelled at Victoria's police academy.
Senior Constable Kevin King was the second officer to be honoured on Friday in what will be remembered as a dark day for Victoria Police.
Constable Glen Humphris had his service this morning under driving rain.
Senior Constable Kevin King was the second officer to be honoured on Friday
Police officers lay a wreath in honour of the fallen heroes in Melbourne on Friday
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton (left) and the police chaplin Jim Jung escort Senior Constable King out of the police academy. It was the second time they had to make the grim walk on Friday
A day earlier, police said goodbye to Leading Senior Constable Lynnette Taylor.
The rain had eased a little by the time the three police officers on motorcycles accompanied Senior Constable King's hearse from this afternoon's service.
The lone piper played 'Amazing Grace' for the second time today.
Again, the police helicopter flew low across the academy.
Again, only eight of the fallen officer's friends and family were able to participate in the service due to the coronavirus crisis.
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The dedicated officer leaves behind his wife, Sharron McKenzie, and three sons, William, James and Henry, who say they will miss his 'daggy dad jokes', speciality pasta dishes and tradition of watching footy games together.
'[Kevin] loved going to work,' his wife, Ms McKenzie, said in a statement. 'It was his home away from home.'
Senior Constable King was part of the highway patrol team, and would often watch the television show of the same name with his sons on television, pointing out his friends and sharing anecdotes of life on the job.
'He'd tell us good stories of his mates on the show... They were his family,' Ms McKenzie said.
'[Kevin was] a caring, considerate, gentle and kind-hearted person. A big softie who would do anything for absolutely anyone. He'd always be there.'
The officer, alongside Leading Senior Constable Lynnette Taylor, Glen Humphris, and Josh Prestney died after a truck allegedly driven by Mohinder Singh ploughed into them in the emergency lane of the Eastern Freeway last week.
Senior Constable King had been part of a 'close-knit family' who are reeling in the wake of the tragedy.
'This is such a devastating shock for all of us. Our hearts are so broken,' Ms McKenzie said last week.
'From the perspective of being Kevin’s partner, my heart is in pieces; I’m totally devastated. My beautiful man, my life, my rock and my only love for 35 years is gone.
'Life will never be the same.'
People lined the street to farewell Senior Constable Kevin King as he was escorted to his final resting place on Friday
Senior Constable Kevin King and his partner Sharron in happier times
Senior Constable Kevin King (left) , partner Sharron Mackenzie and sons Henry, William and James
Senior Constable King had transferred to the Nunawading Highway Patrol in 2018 where the officer in charge described him as 'an older head with a lot of life experience who always made good judgement calls and decisions'.
'He was a terrific bloke. A lovely, all round good bloke who took to road policing immediately. He would do anything in his power to not let you down,' an officer remembered.
'He always just wanted to laugh, have a good time, and talk about footy. It's just devastating to lose a bloke like that.'
Senior Constable King was a lifelong fan of the Richmond Football Club, and he and his boys rarely missed a game.
If they weren't watching football, they were playing it, the officer said.
For the second time today, police across the nation stopped to pay tribute to their fallen comrade at the conclusion of the service.
And just like earlier today, word was put out across the police radio by Mr Ashton, who called his troops to attention.
Constable Glen Humphris was farewelled on Friday morning just hours before Senior Constable King
Mohinder Singh (left) is accused of killing the four police officers after crashing his truck into the emergency lane of a Melbourne freeway. Police had just pulled over alleged mongrel Richard Pusey (right) who is accused of filming and taunting a dying police officer
Flowers have again been placed outside of the Victoria Police Academy where Constable Glen Humphris and Senior Constable Kevin King were farewelled on Friday morning
Police chaplin Jim Jung escorts Constable Glen Humphris out of the police academy on Friday
Officers at police stations across Victoria again congregated outside to form guards of honour.
All four of the officers were killed when Mohinder Singh allegedly drove his refrigerated chicken truck into the them on Wednesday last week.
Constable Humphris had only started his police career last year, graduating from the academy in March.
Born in Gosford, on the NSW Central Coast, he left school and became an apprentice carpenter and then a personal trainer.
He completed a Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science at University of Newcastle and obtained a Masters in Exercise Physiology at the University of Sydney, becoming a sports scientist and exercise physiologist.
While working for Return to Work in Newcastle he met his partner of four years, Todd, and they moved to Melbourne last year.
Colleagues remembered the officer for his love of food and Melbourne's bar lifestyle.
He loved to keep fit, exercise and compete in triathlons.
His squad mates said he genuinely wanted to help people, had a great sense of community and genuine empathy for everyone – victim and offender alike.
'Glen is remembered as being very level-headed, caring and supportive with a great sense of humour and had the ability to make light of any situation to calm people,' an officer said.
A repatriation ceremony and honour guard for Constable Humphris will take place in Albury on Saturday.
Mohinder Singh has been charged with four counts of culpable driving over the deaths and remains behind bars for now.
Richard Pusey, 41, also faces charges amid allegations he filmed Sen-Constable Taylor dying before fleeing the scene.
He too remains in jail.
Last week, Mr Ashton said the dead officers would be honoured in full once the distancing restrictions were lifted.
The funeral for Constable Josh Prestney will take place at Xavier College on Monday.
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