A New South Wales police officer who was killed on duty when the car she was travelling in crashed into a tree in Sydney has been named as 20-year-old Mia Lay. NSW police said the marked police car was travelling under lights and sirens along Gibbons Street in Redfern when it crashed about 1.30am on Friday. The officers were responding to a reported vehicle theft at Glebe, driving with lights and sirens activated.
Lay, a female constable who had been with the force for 16 months, died instantly in the crash. Mal Lanyon, the police commissioner, thanked Mia for her courage and for choosing the police for her career. Paramedics treated the 24-year-old male constable who was driving before he was taken to hospital in a stable condition.
A crime scene has been established, and police have declared a critical incident. The NSW police watchdog said it would monitor the force’s investigation into the crash to “ensure public confidence”. The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission said it could not independently investigate the incident until NSW police finished its probe, and any coronial or criminal proceedings were over.
The premier, Chris Minns, and the police minister, Yasmin Catley, said their thoughts were with the loved ones of the officer who died. Minns said he was also thinking of the officer injured in the crash and those who responded at the scene. The NSW opposition leader, Kelly Sloane, said she was “heartbroken” by the news.
Nearby Regent Street remained closed in both directions between Lawson and Cleveland streets. Motorists have been advised to avoid the area, with several bus routes being diverted.
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