A respected Tasmania Police constable with 25 years of service has been identified as the officer shot and killed while serving a court-ordered warrant at a rural property on Monday morning.
Constable Keith Anthony Smith, 57, died at the scene after allegedly being shot by a resident as he approached a home on Allison Road in North Motton, near Ulverstone, around 11am.
The Ulverstone-based officer and a colleague had attended the property to serve a repossession warrant when the tragic incident unfolded.
“Keith was a respected and committed officer and his loss will be deeply felt across our policing family and the wider community,” Tasmania Police Commissioner Donna Adams said on Tuesday.
“My heart goes out to Keith’s wife and family. We will be supporting them in every way we can during this incredibly difficult time.”
A second officer at the scene discharged their firearm towards the alleged offender, who then surrendered to police.
The 46-year-old North Motton man remains in the Launceston General Hospital under police guard, having undergone surgery for non-life-threatening injuries.
No charges have yet been laid as investigations continue.
Constable Smith joined Tasmania Police on September 25, 2000 and graduated as part of Course 3/2000 on May 11, 2001.
He had worked across communities in the north and north-west before transferring to Ulverstone uniform duties in 2020, where he had served for the past five years.
The veteran officer received multiple service awards during his distinguished career, including the Commissioner’s Medal in 2011, the National Police Service Medal in 2016 and a 20-year service clasp in 2021.
He was also known as a passionate cyclist who participated in the 2011 Charity Trust bike ride.
Commissioner Adams praised the emergency services who responded to Monday’s incident and the investigators who worked through difficult weather conditions late into the night gathering evidence.
“While no other staff have been injured in this terrible incident, all will be impacted by their involvement in such a tragic event,” she said.
The last fatal shooting of a police officer in Tasmania was recorded more than 100 years ago.
“The blue family will come together today and over the next days and weeks and will support the family and each other,” Commissioner Adams said.
A crime scene remains established at the North Motton property as the investigation continues.
