Drowning death of Gomeroi man Gordon Copeland: coroner recommends further training after inquest in Moree

Gordon Copeland was just 22 years old when he died after falling or wading into the Gwydir River at Yarraman, in Moree, in the early hours of July 11 in 2021.

Mr Copeland - whose family has granted permission to use his photo - was with two others who were running from police. They were not involved in a pursuit, an inquest heard.

Police had sighted the car, and suspected the manner of driving suggested it could have been stolen. The officers followed the vehicle about 2.30am to the Gwydir River where it got bogged and the three occupants fled on foot.

Police initially searched the riverbank for 13 minutes but Mr Copeland's body wasn't found for months despite three large-scale searches.

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On Tuesday morning, state coroner Teresa O'Sullivan said "mistakes were made in the treatment of Gordon's family that led to an apology from the NSW Police Force".

"These mistakes should be the subject of ongoing reflection and learning," she said.

In front of dozens of family and friends, as well as police, Ms O'Sullivan delivered her findings in the NSW Coroner's Court, sitting in Moree. The court was told the proud Gomeroi man was a loving son, partner and father.

"The last person to see Gordon alive was a police officer, and, after he went missing, Gordon's family members were reliant on police to coordinate and assist in the search for him," she said in her 51-page findings.

Ms O'Sullivan detailed "a fundamental breakdown" in communication between officers as well as in their dealings with the family that led to police being on the backfoot and resuming the search several hours after Mr Copeland went into the river.

Ms O'Sullivan said the "particular circumstances" where Mr Copeland was missing for months while the family searched made it "particularly traumatic".

His body wasn't found until October 2021 by police divers despite desperate searches of the riverbank by his family.

Ms O'Sullivan said Mr Copeland was found "approximately 447m downstream from the point that it is estimated he entered the river".

Ms O'Sullivan found Mr Copeland died after falling or wading into the Gwydir River, after an effort to evade police.

Ms O'Sullivan said the "communication breakdown" could not only be "sheeted home to police".

Mr Copeland was a passenger in a black Toyota Corolla driven by friends Jabour Clark and Kowhai Roberts.

Ms O'Sullivan said it was "a great shame" that the vehicle owner had lied to police and the two other occupants did not come forward earlier which "would have greatly assisted police, and Gordon's family".

Once one of the occupants came forward on July 11, the search resumed.

Ms O'Sullivan made six separate recommendations to the NSW Police Force and New England police to review or improve training programs, procedures for rescues and their interactions with First Nations families.

"This has been a tragic case that has affected the community of Moree deeply," she said.

As part of her recommendations, Ms O'Sullivan urged the police force to review its training in relation to the history of First Nations Peoples and ensure Aboriginal liaison officers are engaged in the training; consider providing trauma-informed communication training for officers; review the training in relation to critical decision-making to improve thinking in situations such as the preliminary search along the river; and review its formal debriefing to ensure it provides officers with the advice and support "after experiencing a trauma like Gordon's death".

Ms O'Sullivan also recommended the New England Police District (NEPD) conduct a review of the available rescue resources to determine what rescue equipment should be kept at stations and in vehicles; and that the PD review the training courses available to local officers because of the unique environment and river systems of the local area.

A traditional smoking ceremony was also held outside the courthouse before the inquest findings were delivered.

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