In May 2006 then-Sergeant Les Cooper pulled over a vehicle being driven erratically at Pontville and when he approached, the driver - Patrick Arthur Burling - shot him in the face.

Burling, who is now in jail for the attempted murder, then got out of his vehicle and shot Sergeant Cooper twice in the back.

It marked the end of the police officer's 35-year career.

Mr Cooper was diagnosed with post- traumatic stress disorder and forced into early retirement.

Yesterday he said there was no support for those who risked their lives, and suffered as a result, within Tasmania Police.

"I resent the way I was treated," he revealed.

"I gave my life to the police and to this day I haven't received a single phone call from any member of the police administration to see how I'm coping with this early retirement, which took effect in February last year."

Mr Cooper said he was speaking out after former Launceston CIB detective Adam Pratley revealed he was being removed from the organisation after also being diagnosed with post- traumatic stress disorder that resulted from three life-threatening experiences in the line of duty.

One of those was also at the hands of Burling.

Mr Cooper said that before he was forced into retirement worker's compensation laws meant his pay had been reduced to 85 per cent.

"I'd lost my wife the year before and I'd planned to work until I was 65," he said.

Mr Cooper said he was offered a non-front-line role within the police force after his diagnosis but he wanted to do what he had always done.

"When I was told that was no longer an option, my career was over," he said.

Earlier this week, acting Assistant Commissioner Michael Brazendale said police were committed to working closely with the small percentage of officers permanently injured in helping them to find other jobs.

But Senior Constable Pratley wants a non- front-line position, which he says are not being offered to those injured in the line of duty.

Mr Cooper said he supported Senior Constable Pratley and others in his situation "100 per cent".

"Things need to change," he said.

"Tasmania Police would do well to take a leaf out of the Defence Force's book and look at the way they look after those injured in the line of duty."