South Australia Police Pay Tribute To Fallen Victorian Officers

Senior South Australian police have offered a moving tribute to their four Victorian colleagues killed in a road crash in Melbourne last week.

The road outside police headquarters in Adelaide was closed off on Thursday morning with Commissioner Grant Stevens and Deputy Commissioner Linda Williams standing to attention, flanked by other senior staff and officers on horseback and motorcycles.

Amazing Grace was played as they paid their respects.

The tribute came ahead of the first funeral for one of the officers on Thursday, with other funerals to follow on Friday and Monday.

The SA police headquarters will be bathed in blue light on each of those days in memory of those killed.

Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor, Senior Constable Kevin King, Constable Glen Humphris and Constable Joshua Prestney were killed in a horror crash on Melbourne's Eastern Freeway last Wednesday.

SA Police said their absence would be deeply felt by their families, friends and colleagues.

"We honour their passion and dedication to helping others," SA Police said in a Facebook post.

"We acknowledge the myriad of risks that men and women in uniform must confront each and every day.

"To lose four police colleagues is unthinkable."

The SA force is also mourning the loss of Detective Chief Superintendent Joanne Shanahan, 55, who was killed in a three-car crash in Adelaide last Saturday.

Stevens held back tears as he told reporters the following day the mother-of-two was a "dear friend".