POLICE HERO FACES SACK

A police officer hailed as a hero after defending his injured colleague in a
shootout revealed yesterday he was facing the sack after testing positive
for marijuana.

NSW Senior Constable John Fotopoulos said he had been abandoned by Police
Commissioner Peter Ryan, had suffered a nervous breakdown, and was living
without any income.

Snr Const Fotopoulos was on patrol with his partner Chris Patrech at 3am on
December 3 last year when they became involved in a shootout at the White
City tennis courts in Sydney.

During the incident, Snr Const Patrech suffered gunshot wounds to the wrist
and knee.

As he lay injured, Snr Const Fotopoulos managed to capture one gunman and
pin him to the ground while firing at his accomplice.

``This man is described by every single police officer, with the exception
of the commissioner, as a hero and he should be given a medal,'' Snr Const
Fotopoulos' solicitor John Marsden said.