A veteran Victorian police officer is in custody after being charged with murdering a man while on duty.
Leading Senior Constable Timothy Howard Baker, 46, faced the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday charged over the death of Vlado Micetic, 44, in Windsor.
Mr Micetic died from gunshot wounds after a routine traffic stop late on August 25 in 2013.
Baker was charged with a single count of murder after a lengthy investigation by the homicide squad, which was oversighted by professional standards command.
Chief commissioner Graham Ashton said it was a always a sad day for the police force when serious charges are laid against an officer, but Baker and his family would continue to have the necessary support of the organisation.
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"We'll make sure, as an employer of that police officer, that we provide the necessary welfare support for he and his family," Mr Ashton later told reporters.
The court was told Baker has ongoing mental health problems and that his defence lawyer Tony Hargreaves was concerned about his time in custody given he is a serving police officer.
Prosecutors will apply for an order for a DNA sample next week.
Baker was not required to speak during the brief hearing.
He was remanded in custody until January 27.
