By KATH GANNAWAY
AFTER three long years Healesville teacher Gayle Shelley has seen both vindication and recognition for her partner, Healesville police sergeant Tony van Gorp.
Sgt van Gorp took his own life on 22 March, 2010, at Healesville Police Station, less than a week after a no-confidence notice was delivered by then Police Commissioner Simon Overland in connection with police investigations into misuse of the police email system.
The now infamous Section 68 required Sgt van Gorp to give reason why his services should not be terminated from VicPol.
Vindication that VicPol’s actions in using the Section 68 were heavy-handed and unreasonable came on April 9 at the County Court when Police Workcover settled a claim by Ms Shelley and the younger of Sgt van Gorp’s two daughters, out-of-court for a reported six-figure settlement.
However, recognition and respect came in a public expression at Healesville on Wednesday, 24 April when a memorial plaque recognising Sgt van Gorp’s work with the local community as Officer In Charge for almost 15 years was unveiled by the local community.
Ms Shelley said the action was taken against Victoria Police and paid by Workcover.
For her, and others, the settlement is very much acknowledgement that the manner in which Victoria Police handled allegations of misconduct against Sgt van Gorp after 30 years as a police officer were heavy-handed in the extreme, and unwarranted.
With the coroner’s decision last year not to hold an inquest, Ms Shelley said the only avenue left open was to take it to the courts.
“What scared Tony most at the time was he very much wanted to clear his name and to be honoured for the person he was,” Ms Shelley told the Mail.
“Tony did seek some help, but it was so quick and such a shock to him; in the end he didn’t know which way to turn and his death was something that could have been avoided if only it had been handled differently,” she said.
“He wasn’t a fighting person … he was a peacemaker,” she said.
Ms Shelley said the couple had just clicked from the beginning and had been together for about eight years.
Ms Shelley said the memorial ceremony was the start of a healing process, both personally and for the community.
“It was wonderful to see Tony being respected in that way,” she said adding that although it had been a long time, and a long fight, there was a sense of things coming to fruition.
Plans are being made to once again involve the Yarra Valley in the Portsea Camp project that Sgt van Gorp had championed for so long.
“He got a lot of joy out of that, and it would be a good way to honour him,” Ms Shelley said.
A Victoria Police spokesperson said Victoria Police was aware of the court settlement but was not party to the proceedings and it was therefore not for them to comment.
“Tony van Gorp’s death was a tragedy and Victoria Police extend our sympathy to his family and friends,” the spokesperson said.
