Melbourne policeman shot dead with own revolver

MELBOURNE - A 37-year-old policeman was shot dead with his own revolver after it was stolen from him by a motorist he pulled over in Melbourne's outer east early today.

Senior Constable Tony Clarke, from Knox Traffic Tasking Unit, was on routine patrol on the Warburton Highway at Launching Place when he pulled over a male driver about 1am (AEST) today.

Deputy Commissioner Bill Kelly said there was an altercation between the two and the driver wrestled the revolver from Senior Constable Clarke and fatally shot him in the upper body.

"Following that, the person ... had then taken the police car to another location 25 kilometres away from here and he has been at that scene for a very short time and has then obviously fired one shot and he is now deceased," Mr Kelly said.

A taxi driver spotted the dead motorist in the police car at Old Hereford Road, Mt Evelyn and contacted police.

Mr Kelly said Sen Const Clarke's colleagues had received counselling.

He said Sen Const Clarke's wife and two-year-old son had also received support after being told of the tragedy.

"It is just a very tragic incident that we don't expect and very, very distressing when they do happen to us," he said.

Mr Kelly later told AAP the deaths were a double tragedy.

He also said he had spoken to Sen Const Clarke's wife, who was in a state of shock and disbelief.

"She is being looked after by our welfare services and our chaplaincy," he said. "It's a double tragedy when you've got the other man (dead) ... obviously it's pretty gut-wrenching."

Victorian Police Association assistant secretary Bruce McKenzie said Sen Const Clarke's death highlighted the risks involved in policing.

"This tragedy will affect our members, certainly," he told radio station 3AW. "It will affect the broader community and it will certainly illustrate the risks and dangers that police officers face."

Police Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon is on her way back to Melbourne from a conference in Cairns and is expected to make comment later today.

- AAP