Police Chief Commissioner Ken Lay's announcement of his retirement gave Victorians a glimpse at the emotions of the man who commanded the respect of Victorians and his officers.
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But the seriousness of the occasion was not without humour.
Six minutes into the press conference, Mr Lay was confronted by an unlikely heckler.
The catalyst of his decision, he started telling reporters, was his wife's illness.
Just as he began struggling to utter the words "Chris, my wife and partner of 33 years", she chimed in with a command of her own.
"Toughen up, princess," she yelled, drawing laughter and sideways glances from the press pack.
It was a perfectly timed intrusion before a tough crowd – the walls were lined with Victoria's highest-ranking police officers.
The comic relief also afforded Mr Lay a brief moment of composure to continue with the press conference that would end his career.
