A police officer who allegedly shot dead a woman on a suburban street is the first to be charged with murder while in the line of duty in the state in 93 years, the police commissioner says.

Key points: Joyce Clarke was shot dead after a confrontation with police on the street

Joyce Clarke was shot dead after a confrontation with police on the street The family said the arrest brought back painful memories of the event

The family said the arrest brought back painful memories of the event Ms Clarke had a troubled early life blighted by drugs and alcohol

Joyce Clarke, a 29-year-old mother of one, was shot on September 17 on a street in the Geraldton suburb of Karloo.

She was taken to Geraldton Regional Hospital but died of her injuries.

Major Crime detectives travelled to Geraldton and arrested the male officer on Thursday morning.

He appeared briefly in Perth Magistrates Court, where a suppression order on his identity was granted by Magistrate Mark Millington.

The officer was wearing a singlet top and his lawyer Linda Black apologised for her client's attire, saying he had only been arrested on Thursday morning and had not had the opportunity to change.

He was later granted bail of $100,000 with a similar surety in the WA Supreme Court after successfully arguing there were exceptional circumstances that meant he should not be held in custody.

The bail conditions include not communicating with any witnesses in the case, although his lawyers successfully argued they should be allowed to speak to them for "the purposes of preparing their defence".

Protesters gathered outside Geraldton Police Station after Joyce Clarke was shot dead by police. ( ABC News: Laura Meachim )

Her death sparked protests outside Geraldton police station, with the local Indigenous community demanding answers.

It was this reaction that prompted Mr Millington to agree to the application for a suppression order out of concerns for the safety of the accused and his family.

Commissioner defends time elapsed before charge laid

Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said the arrest came after a thorough investigation by the Major Crime Division and in consultation with the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Mr Dawson described it as a sad and difficult day for everyone.

"The circumstances of what occurred in Geraldton are tragic and will have a long-term impact on the lives of many people," he said.

"They include Ms Clarke's family, the Geraldton and wider community and police officers right across our vast state.

WA police commissioner Chris Dawson said it was unusual for an officer to be charged with murder. ( ABC News: James Carmody )

The Commissioner defended the length of time between the shooting and a police officer being charged over it.

"There are some 80 witnesses, not all to the specific event that night, but there are forensic, there are toxicology, there are all the usual matters that have to be subject to very thorough investigation and then of course there are legal considerations and that of course all takes time," he said.

"I'm not contesting that there have been a number of months since September last year but this has not been done slowly, it has been done thoroughly."

He said he had spoken briefly to the officer about a month after the incident took place.

"I opened my conversation and said we will not talk about this particular incident.

"My main duty of care, I'm his employer, is to ensure that he had proper welfare and counselling support."

Mr Dawson said it was rare and unusual for an officer to face a murder charge.

"My research tells me it has been 93 years since a West Australian Police officer was charged with murder while in the line of duty," he said.

"This is a very sad and difficult day for everyone."

Government moves to calm community

Responding to news of the arrest, WA Deputy Premier Roger Cook said he hoped the community understood the matter was being taken seriously.

"I'm really pleased that some action is taking place and I'm sure that will be of some comfort to the community," he said.

"Not necessarily with regards to the [arrest] but just that there will be a learning and a really close examining of these very sad set of circumstances.

"We've got a whole range of things to do that we need to work with in conjunction with the community for people to feel a better sense of wellbeing, whether it's in Geraldton, whether it's in Broome, across the Kimberley."

The shooting happened after a confrontation at a house in the southern Geraldton suburb of Karloo. ( ABC News: Zachary Bruce )

WA Attorney-General John Quigley assured everyone involved in the case that justice would be done.

"All Western Australians should be grateful that we have in Western Australia a very strong and independent judicial and justice system, completely independent from Government," he said.

Family's painful memories revived

Family spokesman Sandy Davies said the arrest had revived painful memories of a traumatic event.

"The news this morning has now brought the family back to where they were in September 2019 and opened all those wounds again," he said.

Foster mother Leslie "Anne" Jones said her family was devastated by the death of Joyce Clarke. ( ABC News: Laura Meachim )

Mr Davies said the family had been left in limbo too long.

"As far as I'm concerned this whole thing has taken far too long, six months of trauma, heartbreak this family has had to endure," he said.

He said the local Aboriginal community had suffered due to the whole situation and Ms Clarke's foster mother, Leslie "Anne" Jones, said there was great community interest in this case.

"The whole Aboriginal community will watch this process with great interest," she said in a statement.

Struggle with demons revealed

Details of Ms Clarke's troubled early life, blighted by drugs and mental illness, emerged after her death.

She had a criminal record that stretched to 22 pages, including 13 convictions for criminal damage, and had been most recently jailed for stealing a mobile phone from a house.

Then while in custody she set fire to her cell at Greenough Regional Prison, later telling police there were "spirits" inside.

Ms Clarke was placed into state care soon after birth and had a troubled upbringing. ( Facebook: Joyce Clarke )

This led to more serious charges being brought against her.

During her sentencing for those charges in May last year, the Supreme Court heard the problems that haunted Ms Clarke during her life started before she was born.

Justice Lindy Jenkins said although she had not formally been assessed for foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), "a psychiatric report … satisfies me that it's more likely than not that you suffer from FASD".

Justice Jenkins noted in sentencing that Ms Clarke was placed into state care soon after she was born because her birth mother was an alcoholic and her home life was "chaotic".

Alcohol progressed to drug abuse

But the judge described "significant intellectual impairments" that were present in Ms Clarke's childhood.

A court was told it was more likely than not Ms Clarke suffered from FASD. ( Facebook: Joyce Clarke )

She was bullied at school and "started drinking alcohol excessively at around seven years of age".

She later started using methamphetamines and sniffing petrol, and was also was recorded to have attempted to take her own life at the age of 12.

"It was your mother's alcohol abuse which, in all likelihood, has resulted in your suffering permanent damage whilst you were an unborn child," Justice Jenkins said.

She urged prison authorities to have Ms Clarke formally assessed for FASD while she was serving her sentence.

"It would seem to me a disaster for both Ms Clarke and the community if she was simply released from this sentence without being on parole and without being supervised," Justice Jenkins said.

A Department of Justice spokesperson confirmed at the time that there was currently no routine screening for FASD in adult prisons.