Victoria Police Commissioner Mike Bush visits Porepunkah three months after two officers allegedly killed by Dezi Freeman

Victoria Police Commissioner Mike Bush. Photo / 7News

Victoria’s top cop has visited Porepunkah three months after two police officers were allegedly killed by Dezi Freeman.

The wanted fugitive is accused of shooting Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart and seriously wounding a third officer at Porepunkah in Victoria’s northeast on August 26.

Freeman, also known as Desmond Filby, fled into dense bushland and has not been seen since.

Police Commissioner Mike Bush travelled to Victoria’s High Country on Monday to visit officers at Bright Police Station and pay respect to the officers who were killed almost three months ago.

Bush told the media they were still no clearer whether Freeman was dead or alive.

“The purpose is to meet with our people, but also to dig into the details of the investigation and the search, so I am right across it.

“This was one of the most horrific crimes committed against community and against Victoria Police.

“Our people are still hurting, and it’s really important for public confidence, for our organisation that we resolve this.”

Dezi Bird Freeman, pictured outside a court in Victoria, had previously called police officers ‘scumbags’.

About 450 specialist police have been on the ground and in the air across Porepunkah in the manhunt for Freeman, with assistance from the Australian Defence Force.

Victoria Police handed the search over to Taskforce Summit, based in the Great Alpine area and led by detectives from the crime command state anti-gangs division.

The commissioner said they would look at whether they would scale back or increase the manhunt for Freeman.

“We’ve had over 1800 pieces of information come in and the inquiry team, the investigation team, will explore that information not once but twice to make sure we are assured we have followed up on everything.”

A A$1 million reward has been offered for anyone with information leading to Freeman’s arrest.

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