A smiling protector with an enduring Batman fascination, a fallen officer has been sent off as a real-life superhero.

Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart, 34, was honoured by family, friends and leaders in a private funeral at the Victoria Police Academy on Friday.

An estimated 3000 mourners turned up, triple the number anticipated.

The slain policeman's mother and father, Carolina de Waart and Alain Hottart, travelled from Belgium for the solemn service.

Brother Sacha de Waart-Hottart, who lives in Switzerland, said he could spend hours talking about his brother but only spoke briefly for fear of breaking down.

When they were kids, the future officer would gather up every stuffed animal he could find and bring it to his baby brother's crib and hop in.

His blue-eyed brother Vadim

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