Durban - Family and colleagues paid tribute to a “committed and loved cop” on Wednesday at the funeral service for the Durban flying squad officer who died during a training exercise.
The Holy Trinity Catholic Church on the Berea was packed with officers from the SAPS and metro police, who remembered Sergeant Malcolm Goodwin as a jovial character who lived for his work.
Personnel from emergency medical services were also there to pay respects. Such was the number that some stood during the service while others were outside.
The funeral of Sergeant Malcolm Goodwin was held today at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Musgrave. He was killed in an accidental shooting by a fellow policeman in a training exercise at the Pietermaritzburg shooting range.
Posted by POST Newspaper on Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Goodwin’s brother-in-law, Brett Saunders, said: “He was always laughing even though he had a hard job. For us as a family we will always remember him as a person that put joy into our lives… Malcolm was a special person.”He said Goodwin had talked about the police day and night.
“All he wanted in his life was to be a police officer.”
Goodwin’s immediate commanding officer, Bongani Gasa, said he had known Goodwin since 2003. “He was someone who always had direction. He always wanted to fight for the innocent and did not see any colour when he worked with individuals.”
Gasa said he had introduced Goodwin to his family. “His passing was quite a shock to me when I heard the news.”
He said Goodwin’s family should try not to grieve, but to celebrate his life.
“He has played his part.”
He asked people on Goodwin’s shift to stay strong.
SAPS eThekwini cluster commander, Major-General KCZ Mkhize, said: “It is during times like this that we close ranks and cry together.”
Mkhize said although what happened could not be undone, everyone could learn from the incident.
Goodwin, a member of the Flying Squad’s collision unit, died when he was accidentally shot in a training exercise last week.
Sources said the officers were at a shooting range in Pietermaritzburg re-enacting a crime scene, with Goodwin in the role of the criminal and his colleague playing the role of the policeman, when the incident happened.
The shooter took aim and shot Goodwin through the heart with what he believed to be an empty gun.
The shooter had been a “great friend” of Goodwin’s.
Speaking to the Daily News after the service, Garrith Jamieson, of Rescue Care, said he had known Goodwin for a long time from covering accident scenes and had nicknamed him “Captain”.
“The unique thing about Malcolm was that he was fair to everyone.”
Goodwin’s jovial personality was another aspect that had made it easier to get along with him.
Jamieson said Goodwin’s death had come as a shock because when police officers were killed in the line of duty it was while fighting criminals, not as a result of a “freak accident”.
Daily News