NSW Police officer Stephen Hardwick is found dead after following in his father’s footsteps and joining the force
A 44-year-old police officer who followed in his father’s footsteps by joining the force has taken his own life amid calls for better mental health care for officers.
Stephen Charles Hardwick died three days before Christmas on December 22, two years after leaving the New South Wales Police.
Mr Hardwick joined the force in December 2000 and left in 2022, having served in Sydney and Wollongong for more than 20 years.
His father, Barry Hardwick, is a retired officer. His brother, Chris Hardwick, is said to still be on the force.
Mr Hardwick’s death was met with an outpouring of grief on a special tribute page to fallen officers in NSW.
Both those who knew the 44-year-old and those he never met agreed that better mental health services for officers could have prevented his death.
‘Very sad to hear. Another loss that’s hard to fathom unless you’ve been there,” one person wrote.
Another, who knew Mr Hardwick’s father, wrote: ‘To my old Detective Sergeant Barry Hardwick, his son Chris and family. Our condolences on the death of your son and brother.
Stephen Charles Hardwick (pictured) died three days before Christmas on December 22, two years after leaving the New South Wales Police
Mr Hardwick (pictured) joined the force in December 2000 and left in 2022, after serving more than 20 years in Sydney and Wollongong
‘It’s a beautiful state of affairs, which has been going on for years, with the police in dire straits against this crappy system of supporting frontline officers.
“It’s happened to too many of my former and still serving colleagues, as well as myself, and it just breaks my heart.
“All I wish now is that this death will make the hierarchy sit up and take notice.
“The support system for frontline policing is not working and we are losing too many good men and women to their negligence.”
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