'Forever etched in our memories': Heroic police officer farewelled after horror crash
Moments after a minute's silence was observed across Victoria, the heavens opened and rain fell on the flowers laid at the memorial service for Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor.
She was killed a week ago alongside three colleagues in a crash on a Melbourne freeway, but on Thursday she was not remembered for her death, but for living her life to the fullest.
Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton honoured Ms Taylor's 31 years of service as a dedicated officer who will be missed by the force and her family.
She is survived by her husband, former police officer Stuart Schultz, and their sons Nathan and Alexander.
"She was a gorgeous vibrant person who was committed to her family, to her friends... And loved travelling, loved exploring," Mr Patton said.
"She looked after everyone. She cared for everyone."
Ms Taylor was farewelled at a private funeral at the Police Academy at Glen Waverley at 1pm on Thursday.
The air wing staged a flyover as the hearse left the academy and travelled to a private burial.
Police Minister Lisa Neville and the secretary of the police union Wayne Gatt joined Mr Patton in laying a wreath at the Airlie Conference Centre, once a police training college.
"This will be forever etched in people's memories," Ms Neville said.
"Reach out to your local police and thank them for the work they do. Reach out so that we will always remember Lynette and what she's sacrificed."
At the end of the service, police officers across Victoria formed a guard of honour at their stations, pulled off the road or turned on their car headlights, listening to a radio message transmitted to all officers from Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton.
"Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor is leaving the police chapel for her last resting place. I ask all to stand to and observe a minute of silence," he said.
The crash was the worst loss of life in the history of the force and has rocked the community, with households putting out blue balloons, ribbons and posters in tribute.
On Wednesday night, a minute's silence was held across firefighting brigades to honour the officers.
It was followed by four siren blasts at 5.40pm, the time of the horrific crash.
On Thursday morning, senior South Australian police also offered a moving tribute.
The road outside police headquarters in Adelaide was closed off with Commissioner Grant Stevens and Deputy Commissioner Linda Williams standing to attention, flanked by other senior staff and officers on horseback and motorcycles.
Sen Const Taylor and her colleagues Senior Constable Kevin King, Constable Glen Humphris and Constable Josh Prestney were killed on the Eastern Freeway when a truck crashed into them at Kew while they were impounding a Porsche.
The funerals of Const Humphris and Sen Const King will be held at the Police Academy on Friday at 10am and 1pm respectively, while Const Prestney will be farewelled at Xavier College, where he graduated in 2009, on Monday.
Due to coronavirus restrictions, a maximum of 10 people can attend each funeral, with the services live-streamed to family, friends and colleagues who cannot attend.
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