Recovery and healing will take time. It’s a long, long road.

I carried what is termed survivor guilt for years, along with PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Some of us still battle those demons nearly four decades later. Some cope better than others.

Life is not like the movies. Gun battles are violent, chaotic, and bloody – even for highly trained and well-equipped tactical teams.

The full details of the killings are not yet known, but from what has been released, it appears the police were ambushed without warning. It is likely they had no chance to defend themselves or escape.

Policing is demanding, and its true nature is often misunderstood. The reality is that it is inherently unpredictable – and Tuesday made that unmistakably clear. Police are people – just as human as the rest of us. They live, love, and grieve like anyone. There is no shield that makes them immune to trauma, though many feel compelled to maintain a strong facade and pretend they are unaffected. That facade often shatters – especially on days like Porepunkah.

Trauma can lie dormant for years before it resurfaces. For me, it hit hard 11 years after leaving the job. There was no trigger, no backfiring car or sudden reminder – just an overwhelming anxiety attack that came out of nowhere and nearly crushed me.

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Research into PTSD shows that early support and intervention can reduce the impact of trauma and speed recovery. Today, police organisations offer far better psychological support than in my era, but the support of friends, family, and the community remains just as important as formal counselling. My fervent hope is that all police involved in this tragic event receive all this and more.

I know the blue family will rally around the surviving officers, and Victoria Police will provide every support possible. If you know any of them, simply be there. Don’t try to give solutions. Just listen.

So, what more can you do? When you see police officers on the street, go up to them and say hello. Thank them for what they do. A simple acknowledgment can mean the world and remind them that their work is valued. I guarantee it will make a difference to their day.

Each year on September 29, Australia marks National Police Remembrance Day. Since 1988, it has honoured those who made the ultimate sacrifice. This year, two more names will be added to the wall of the fallen at the National Police Memorial in Canberra. On that day, pause and remember them.

Keith Banks BM is a former member of the Queensland Police and the recipient of the Bravery Medal and two Police Valour Awards. He is the author of two autobiographical books – Drugs Guns and Lies; and Gun to The Head about his police career.