Trim Stab,
I doubt you will find anyone on here who disagrees with the public having the right to know. It is how the information is being conveyed that's the problem. Turning the whole thing into 'public entertainment' is indeed unsavoury, indecent and lacking in respect. I would say that about any individual in similar circumstances too and not just because it is a fellow officer.
Party Animal - I agree there is a need to balance the need for openness with the need for privacy for the family and friends. However, I think the balance is right here.
All inquests reveal a great deal about the individual and the circumstances leading to their death, much of which is uncomfortable reading for family and friends. It is not "public entertainment" as one facile poster put it - it is simply the result of us being lucky enough to live in an open and rigorous society where accidents are properly investigated.