McDonald Jones Stadium to host funeral for fallen Port Stephens police officer and rugby league veteran Tony Townsend

The full police funeral at McDonald Jones Stadium on September 1 will celebrate the life of Chief Inspector Townsend, affectionately known by fellow officers as TT, who died at his home on Tuesday, August 23.

The funeral, which is open to the public, will start at 10am.

Townsend graduated from the Redfern Police Academy in March 1983 and began his almost 40-year police career in general duties at The Rocks in Sydney, before starting a long stint in police prosecutions.

He continued to study in this field, graduating with a Diploma of Law and a practicing certificate in Law whilst working within the prosecutions command in the Northern Region until 2001, when he transferred to what was then called the Lower Hunter Local Area Command as a constable.

Born and raised in Dungog, Townsend continued policing within the Hunter and Port Stephens area for the remainder of his career, raising through the ranks at the Lower Hunter and Port Stephens commands before they amalgamated in 2018.

He was appointed Chief Inspector in 2019 and operated as the Local Emergency Operations Controller for the Dungog Shire.

During his career, Townsend was the recipient of man awards acknowledging his service to the NSW Police Force including the NSW Police Medal and various associated clasps, a NSW Premier Emergency Award for his work during the Hunter/Central Coast Storm Emergency in 2007, a National Police Service Medal in 2014 and a Commissioner's Unit Citation in 2016.

Whilst remaining a committed police officer, Townsend was also an avid member of the rugby league community.

He grew up playing rugby league with the Dungog Warriors.

Townsend was working as a police prosecutor when he played for the St George Illawarra Dragons before being part of the inaugural Newcastle Knights team in 1988.

He retired from professional football three years later to focus on policing, however remained extremely involved in grassroots and youth programs afterwards.

Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna APM, the police Northern Region commander, said Townsend was an extremely hard-working and courageous officer, who continued to serve his community as a District Inspector until his death.

"Tony was an exemplary example of what it meant to be a community leader and role model," Assistant Commissioner McKenna said.

"His dedication and commitment to the residents of Dungog and the Lower Hunter basin for decades was second to none. He would always go the extra mile to get the job done for his community.

"He kept his private battles exactly that - private. You would never have been the wiser speaking to Tony, he was the epitome of a gentleman and a professional police officer.

"He is one of those cops who inspired the next generation of officer coming through the commands, and I couldn't be prouder to have worked alongside him and know him for a large part of my policing career.

"TT - it's been a privilege and you will be sorely missed by your police family and indeed, the wider Hunter community."

Vice president of the NSW Police Association Ian Allwood said Townsend was "just loved" by the association's members and himself.

"I think he just encapsulated the core values of what being a police officer is," he said.

Following the funeral service in Broadmeadow on September 1, Townsend will be laid to rest in Dungog Cemetery.

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