A veteran police officer has been charged with murder over the fatal shooting of a driver during a routine traffic stop in Windsor.
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Leading Senior Constable Timothy Howard Baker, 44, appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday, charged with one count of murder over the death of Vlado Micetic on August 25, 2013.
Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton later said it was a sad day for Victoria Police, and the first time in almost 30 years that one of its officers has been charged with murder.
Leading Senior Constable Baker shot Mr Micetic, 46, during a traffic stop in Windsor when Mr Micetic allegedly produced a flick knife.
The shooting took place when the lone officer pulled over a white Hyundai in Union Street, which is believed to have carried stolen number plates.
At the time, Senior Constable Baker claimed that he shot the man in self-defence after he was threatened with a flick-blade knife.
A female passenger in Mr Micetic's car fled the scene, but was apprehended later.
Homicide investigators are believed to have arrested Senior Constable Baker earlier in January and interviewed him over the shooting.
Prosecutor Sarah Lenthall told the court the accused man was charged on Wednesday, and said investigators would seek a DNA sample from him.
Police prosecutors are expected to allege that Mr Micetic was unarmed at the time of the shooting and that the knife was planted by Leading Senior Constable Baker after the shooting.
He will face allegations that he tampered with the crime scene to make it appear as though he had acted in self-defence.
Leading Senior Constable Baker may also face charges over allegations that he collided with several cars while intoxicated. The crash occurred while he was suspended with pay from Victoria Police.
Defence counsel Tony Hargreaves confirmed that his client was a serving police officer who would be kept in protective custody and was taking medication for "serious mental health problems".
Leading Senior Constable Baker, who did not say anything during his court appearance, was remanded.
He is due to return to court in January.
At a media conference on Wednesday, Chief Commissioner Ashton said: "It's always a sad day in Victoria police when a member is charged with a crime as serious as murder."
He acknowledged that officers in emergency situations often had to make snap decisions.
He said police needed to understand they would be supported "from a welfare point of view" after such incidents.
But also "if a critical incident results in a police shooting, they also need to understand that there is a very thorough, independent process undertaking before it reaches this particular stage [charges]".
Mr Ashton detailed a lengthy, independent process leading to the charges, involving the homicide squad, crime command and coroner's office.
Advice had been given by the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission and Office of Public Prosecutions.
The final decision on laying charges was made by the assistant commissioner for professional standards command.
He said welfare support to the accused officer and his family would "step up" from now.
Mr Ashton said there was no suggestion of other police officers involved in the incident.
He said that at the time, highway patrols did sometimes involve a police officer working alone, or "one-up".
He said police officers in day to day work should not lose confidence in their abilities to act, back their judgment and training.
If an incident did happen, it was important "that they do have confidence that there is an investigation conducted, and it is a thorough investigation that is conducted".
Coroner Audrey Jamieson in September 2013 held a directions hearing into Mr Micetic's death, but her investigation is on hold while criminal proceedings are under way.
With Adam Cooper, Carolyn Webb