Exclusive: Nearly 12 months after Brevet Sergeant Jason Doig was shot dead in rural South Australia, his family has opened up about the heartbreaking loss for the first time.
In an exclusive interview with 9News, Jason’s brother reflected on the incredible legacy left by the dedicated SA police officer, telling how his kindness and compassion continue to live on.
In country Victoria, Brett Doig’s family home is now a sanctuary from the reality of a day that will be etched in his mind forever.
“That level of grief you get from losing someone in this way, it puts you on the ground.” he said.
“But for many many months it felt unreal. Not like you were in a nightmare.
“Although mum would describe it as being in a nightmare, living a nightmare.”
Brothers Brett and Jason grew up on the land, so when 19-year-old Jason joined the police force, it wasn’t long before country policing became his calling.
He eventually found himself in Lucindale, in south-eastern South Australia.
Brett said his brother “made sure his people were safe”.
“His door was always open. And that’s the country copper,” he said.
“He made sure his people were safe and being sensible.”
But it was in that community where his 34-year career ended in tragedy.
The nightmare unfolded on a remote property near Bordertown last year.
A midnight call out was responded to by Jason and his colleagues, Sergeant Michael Hutchinson and Constable Rebekah Cass.
But when Jason walked in first, he was confronted by a gunman who shot and killed him.
“There’s no solace that he died whilst he was on duty,” Brett said.
“The solace for me is that I know he did everything in his power to make sure the other officers that he was with were protected, somewhat as best as he could, and that he operated his training came in, because he always made sure he was ready, I suppose.”
Hutchinson was also shot but survived, as did the alleged gunman, 26-year-old Jaydn Stimson.
Stimson is charged with murder and attempted murder.
For Brett, coming to terms with the loss of his brother has been harrowing.
“The worst possible outcome is that he has lost his life,” he said.
“I don’t think anyone can ever get over something like this, you just learn to have it as part of your existence.”
The tight-knit family of five is now incomplete.
But for Brett, his love of music has been the score through his grief.
“I’ve always got my family to fall back on. I’ve always got my brothers to fall back on and having lost one of them but what I miss the most is what could have been, because that’s no longer available,” he said.
“He actually did make a difference to many people’s lives.
“I think that’s where we find solace.”
He gets solace too in the support offered to the family through a state funeral, along with the unwavering support from the force his brother loved.
“You just don’t feel like you’re swimming or drowning by yourself, you feel like you do have and you feel like they’re going through the same thing that you’re going through,” Brett said.
The South Australian government also donated $100,000 to women’s safety services in Jason’s honour.
During Jason’s time in the police force, he helped many women and children experiencing domestic violence, responding to hundreds of calls for help.
“I feel like he was waging an almost unwinnable war but it was what he was passionate about, because he saw it so often,” Brett said.
That legacy of giving back continued after his death.
When the family was cleaning out Jason’s home in Lucindale, a woman came to them in need of help – so they gave her everything they could.
“I was there when she came to grab some of the stuff and I’m like I’m so glad that out of this awful situation we’ve been able to give you a head start,” Brett said.
And it was a head start the proud people of Lucindale felt their country copper gave them when he came in and changed their town and their lives 13 years ago.
“The community in Lucindale are being very generous with how they want to remember him in their community, and not just forget about it or push it under the carpet,” Brett said.
“They’re very proud that he was part of the Lucindale community and that’s amazing to see that.
“No many people have that sort of impact.”
