"One of the best": Death of Chief Inspector Tony Townsend rocks the Hunter's police and football communities

The highly-respected member of the force was discovered deceased in his home about 6pm on Tuesday, August 23, by officers, and his colleagues, from the Port Stephens-Hunter Police District.

After being diagnosed with Leukemia almost a decade ago, the Chief Inspector battled recurring health issues but such was his work ethic that he worked right up to Monday.

As well as being a police officer for nearly 40 years, the 61-year-old was the foundation hooker for the Newcastle Knights - a 1988 original - and left an indelible stamp on the club's history.

Vice president of the NSW Police Association Ian Allwood said Townsend was "just loved" by the association's members and himself.

"We are just devastated by this sad news," Mr Allwood said.

"I think he just encapsulated the core values of what being a police officer is. That's why people loved him so much.

"His work ethic was second to none. He was a very senior police officer and a true gentleman."

Mr Allwood, a sergeant with the Port Stephens-Hunter Police District, described Townsend as an articulate country boy who was proud of his country heritage and his rugby league career.

"He spent his entire service operationally. There'd be many a times he'd be working at Maitland and I'd say, 'Sir, what time are you going home' and he'd say, 'when the job's done'," he said.

"He has battled that insidious cancer for quite a few years and leaves behind a very caring and loving family. [He] will be very deeply missed."

A Dungog lad, Townsend started his football career with the Dungog Warriors Rugby League Football Club - playing throughout high school - before joining the St George Illawarra Dragons in 1985.

He was a foundation member of the Newcastle Knights in 1988, and helped to lay the foundations of a Knights legacy.

Knights Old Boy number 11, Townsend retired at the end of 1990 but continued a strong association with the club through the Once a Knight Old Boys.

Townsend joined the NSW Police Force in 1983. He was working as a duty officer in Raymond Terrace at the time of his death.

At the 2019 Port Stephens-Hunter Police District Awards, Townsend received the National Medal (completion of 15 years ethical and diligent service) 2nd Clasp and the NSW Police Medal - Fifth Clasp (35 years).

However, he did not leave his football foundations behind.

Townsend was a valued member of the Dungog Warriors Rugby League Football Club. He captain-coached the club's all age men's team from 1991 to 1994, making the grand final every year and winning two of them.

The junior Warriors club were set to wear black armbands in honour of Townsend on Saturday, August 27.

Peter Hudson, president of the senior Warriors club and who played alongside Townsend in high school, said he was a "much loved figure both on and off the field" and an "inspiration to those he played with and everyone he met".

"Tough, determined, selfless, courageous. Tex was all this and more and will be sorely missed by all those that come to know him," he said.

Townsend was a founder of the friendly Port Stephens NAIDOC Touch Football tournament between police, the Indigenous community, Port Stephens Council, Department of Defence and Department of Education.

The tournament ran over five years and was a highlight of the Port's annual NAIDOC Week activities before the pandemic put an end to it.

He also coached Worimi teams in the PCYC Nations of Origin rugby league tournament from its inception in 2013 up until 2019.

Additionally, Townsend helped get Raymond Terrace Rotary's driver training program off the ground in 2017. The same year he helped to deliver a drivers and boaters licencing program for Aboriginal youth in the Karuah area.

Mr Allwood said the Police Association was focused on supporting his family as best they could, and supporting members through their grief.

He worked with Townsend and knew him well, describing him as a top guy and "one of the best".

"He was a very fair policeman who was a great manager and always put his people first, self-sacrificed himself for the troops, one of those very humble man. He was very well regarded within the police and this is an absolute sad loss for his family and anyone in the police," Mr Allwood said.

"An absolute professional, with a deep knowledge and understanding of police work."

Newcastle solicitor Kate Maher, who studied law with Townsend at Sydney University as well as working opposite him during his years working as a police prosecutor, said she was shocked at the news of his death.

"We graduated at Sydney Uni on the same day," Ms Maher said.

"Tony was a police prosecutor then, and he was in my study group and I knew him very well. He was the most unassuming fellow.

"I would be watching him doing a hearing and he would look like some footy boofhead but he'd work everything out and then it'd just come out in a very simple but perfectly precise way. He would sort of lull people into a false sense of security, that he wouldn't know what he was doing.

"He was really smart, in a very practical way. He easily understood very complicated concepts and could explain it to you very simply. He was a really friendly, easy-going bloke."

Port Stephens MP Kate Washington described the loss of Townsend as "devastating".

"Tony was dedicated to our community. In his own humble and genuine way, he made a difference to the lives of many," she said. "We've lost a good man."

A full police funeral will be held for Townsend at McDonald Jones Stadium on Thursday, September 1. The funeral, open to the public to attend, will begin at 10am.

Afterwards, Townsend will be laid to rest at Dungog Cemetery.

He is survived by his two daughters, Kaitlin and Lauren.

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