Vadim de Waart-Hottart. Photo: Victoria Police / supplied
Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart, one of two Victoria Police officers killed in a shooting in Victoria's northeast last week, will be farewelled at a police funeral in Melbourne on Friday.
The 35-year-old was among a group of 10 police officers serving a warrant for historical sex offences at a rural property in Porepunkah when he was shot and killed last Tuesday.
Suspected gunman Dezi Freeman fled into dense bushland on foot, sparking an enormous manhunt involving hundreds of police officers that is now stretching into its 11th day.
The senior constable died at the scene alongside 59-year-old Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, who will be farewelled at a separate police funeral on Monday.
Friday's funeral for Senior Constable de Waart-Hottart will be held from 11am in a chapel at the Victoria Police Academy in Melbourne's east, with hundreds of mourners expected to attend.
As a police funeral with full honours, it is expected to feature a police guard of honour with a flyover from police aircraft.
Victoria Police said the chapel could normally accommodate 500 people but additional areas had been opened up to accommodate more than 1000 people.
Senior Constable de Waart-Hottart served with Victoria Police for seven years.
He was fluent in English, French, Spanish and Flemish, had travelled around the world and was on secondment in regional Victoria when he was killed, according to an obituary released by Victoria Police.
He is survived by parents who live in Belgium, a younger brother in Switzerland and extended family in Melbourne.
Today's funeral is open to police, friends and family of Senior Constable de Waart-Hottart.
Victoria Police said all police stations would fly their flags at half mast on Friday to respect their fallen colleague.
- ABC News
