Coroner's Finding: Hunt, Paul George; Reynolds, Paul James; Darke, Simon Graham; Cooke, Robert Anthony

Male·Hunt: self-inflicted gunshot wound to head; Reynolds: self-inflicted gunshot wound to head; Darke: self-inflicted gunshot wound to head; Cooke: asphyxia due to hanging

This coronial finding examined four police suicides in Tasmania between 2016-2020. Constable Hunt died by gunshot wound after being stood down from duty without welfare support; his personal phone was unlawfully seized, preventing contact with support services. Senior Sergeant Reynolds died by gunshot after criminal investigation; his personal phone was also not replaced despite policy requirements. Constable Darke died by gunshot while on duty; his death appeared unrelated to policing. Sergeant Cooke died by hanging after years of untreated severe PTSD from cumulative trauma exposure. The coroner identified failures in welfare protocols, fatigue management policies, early PTSD detection, and the handling of officers during professional standards investigations. Key recommendations include developing fatigue management policy, ensuring welfare support presence during investigations, providing replacement phones when seized, implementing PTSD screening, and creating automated referral systems for officers exposed to traumatic incidents.