By Alesha Capone
Tributes are flowing for a much-loved member of the community, former Werribee policeman Ron Fenton.
Ron, 65, died yesterday following a long battle with cancer.
Ron’s son, who lives overseas, posted on Facebook about his father’s death about nine hours ago.
His son, also named Ron, wrote that his dad “was a hero to many – myself included”.
“I’ll miss him dearly, and if there is an after – I know he goes forward with the same zeal and passion as he approaches any challenge,” he wrote.
Ron was well-known for many things, including his 40 years with Victoria Police and time in the Army Reserve, his advocacy for people diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and his involvement with the Wyndham Theatre Company.
In 1984, Ron was shot in the head after pursuing a man who had murdered a security guard in Clayton.
He was not expected to survive the night but he did. He later returned to duty, joining Werribee police in 1996.
When Ron died, he still had 37 bullet fragments in his head from the shooting.
In recent years, Ron developed PTSD. He credited his assistance dog, a Labrador named Yogi, with helping to ease his nightmares and reliance on medication.
About four years ago, Ron launched a legal case against WorkSafe, Victoria Police and insurance company Gallagher Bassett, for refusing to fund the cost of Yogi’s food and veterinary bills.
Ron started the legal proceedings after WorkSafe rejected his claim for the insurance company to pay for Yogi’s needs, as a legitimate medical expense related to his workplace-induced PTSD.
Ron won an out-of-court settlement in June, 2020.
At the time, Ron told Star Weekly that the important thing was not the money, but that the case had set a legal precedent, which means that emergency services workers – such those in the CFA, paramedics or firefighters – who have a WorkCover-accepted PTSD claim related to their employment, will be able to claim expenses related to accredited assistance dogs.
He said during his 18 years serving with Werribee police, he had worked closely with other emergency services, and had wanted to achieve a win for everyone in the field.
“It was always my intention to make sure it (the legal battle) wasn’t just me, but for people in the past and people in the future as well,” he said at the time.
Photographer David Mullins, who took a portrait of Ron and Yogi for his Faces of Wyndham project, also paid tribute to Ron.
“Ron has worn many hats in his life but the one he has worn most is that of a dedicated and passionate human being,” he wrote on Facebook.
“You would be hard pressed to find anyone who has fought harder to make the lives of those in the community better.”
Hundreds of other people commented on the post and described Ron as “a great bloke” and “an amazing man”.
The Police Association Victoria has also posted on social media about Ron.
“We remember Ron and his service today and every day. Our thoughts are with his family and friends,” the post said.
