A 20-year-old police officer killed in a crash in Sydney’s inner west has been identified as Constable Mia Lay, who had been with the NSW Police Force for just 16 months.
Lay and a 24-year-old male colleague were responding to reports of a stolen car in Glebe about 1.30am on Friday when their marked police vehicle crashed into a tree in Redfern.
Lay was killed instantly.
The male officer, who was driving the vehicle, was taken to hospital with facial injuries and was reported to be in a stable condition.
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said Lay had shown “exceptional promise” and was well-loved by colleagues in the South Sydney Police Area Command.
“To Mia’s parents, Mia’s family, friends and loves ones, our deepest thoughts, sympathies and condolences are with you,” Lanyon said.
“There is nothing I can say easily that takes the pain away but know that Mia was a loved police officer.
“She would have been an outstanding police officer and to lose a life both in its prime and just at the infancy of becoming a police officer is a terrible tragedy.”
Lanyon said the crash investigation was continuing and the circumstances remained unknown.
“As police officers, we understand the risk of what we do, we put our lives in the way for the safety of the community to prevent crime and to make sure the community is safe.
“Terribly, on some of those days, some police officers pay the ultimate sacrifice.”
Police and Counter-Terrorism Minister Yasmin Catley said she had spoken with Lay’s parents, who told her their daughter loved her job.
“It’s very lovely to know, I think, that this beautiful young woman loved what she was doing, but tragically she went to work yesterday and she didn’t go home and that is incredibly sad,” Catley said.
“We ask so much of our police and I often say it’s a job like no other but to not go home, to lose one of our precious colleagues, is a very, very sad and dark day.”
Police Association of NSW president Kevin Morton said the death was “sad evidence of the dangers (police) face”.
“We grieve with our members and commit to supporting their family into the future,” Morton said.
“While most of us are asleep, our members are out all over the state looking for trouble,” he said.
“They face danger every shift and are dedicated to preserving the safety of their communities.”
NSW Premier Chris Minns described the death as “devastating”.
“My thoughts are with the family, friends and colleagues of the officer who has lost her life,” Minns said.
“Every day our police officers put themselves in harm’s way to keep the rest of us safe, and today the entire NSW Police family will be grieving.
“I’m also thinking of the officer injured in the crash and everyone who responded to this terrible scene.”
The crash has been declared a critical incident and a crime scene has been established. Traffic diversions remain in place around Gibson Street and Regent Street.
Anyone with relevant dashcam or mobile phone footage is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Image: NSW Police
