A Service Celebrating the Life of Constable D’Arne (Dee) De Leo will be held in the Chapel of Victoria Police Academy, View Mount Rd, Glen Waverley on THURSDAY (Jan. 19, 2017) at 2.00 p. m. , and will be followed by Burial in the Springvale Botanical Cemetery (Police Memorial Lawn) at 3.45 p. m. POLICE HONOURS
DE LEO. D’Arne. First Constable 40129 And we that are left shall never forget; rest in peace friend and colleague for the sun has now set. You will be sorely missed by all at Fitzroy Police Station. Our condolences go to Krisz, family, friends and colleagues.
DE LEO. D’Arne (Dee). First Constable 40129 A valued member of Victoria Police who will be sadly missed. Our sincere condolences to her partner, family, friends and colleagues. The NWM Divison 1.
DE LEO. Dee. The ‘Pocket Rocket’ You may have had a small footprint, but made a big impression on all who knew and met you. Our sincere and deepest condolences to Kris and family. Will be sadly missed Benalla Police Colleagues and friends.
DE LEO. D’Arne (Dee). First Constable 40129 A valued member of Victoria Police who will be sadly missed. Our sincere condolences to her partner, family, friends and colleagues. The NWM HQ.
De LEO. D’Arne. The President, Executive and Members of The Police Association mourn the passing of First Constable De Leo and extend their deepest sympathy to her family. At Rest
De LEO. D’Arne (Dee). First Constable 40129 The Chief Commissioner, Officers and Employees of Victoria Police regret the passing of their Colleague and offer their deepest sympathy to her family.
DE LEO D’Arne (Dee) You were my best friend. I trusted and respected you and will be forever grateful for the support you gave me over the last four years. I miss you – but will never forget you Rest In Peace Craig, Riikka and Kai.
A mechanical investigation will be done on the truck that killed a Victorian police officer while she was on her way to work on her motor bike.
Samandeep Singh, 26, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday charged with culpable driving over the death of the officer on Thursday morning.
Victoria Police identified D’Arne De Leo as the woman who died in the crash at an EastLink freeway on-ramp in Wantirna just before 9am.
She was hit and trapped under the truck, dying at the scene despite the efforts of emergency services.
Singh was also charged with driving a motor vehicle in a manner that was dangerous to the public, thereby allegedly causing Ms De Leo’s death.
His lawyer Chen Yang said a 10-week mechanical investigation needed to be done on Singh’s truck, and CCTV footage would be prepared formatted for the court.
Singh, who was dressed in hi-vis clothing, did not apply for bail and he was remanded in custody to reappear for a committal mention on May 4.
Valued former Benalla police officer killed in a crash between motorbike and truck
Jane Lee
Former Benalla police officer First Constable D’Arne De Leo had only moved to Melbourne three months ago, before she was killed in a motorcycle crash.
The truck driver accused of causing her death after running a red light has been assessed as suicidal, a court has heard.
Police allege Ferntree Gully man Samandeep Singh, 26, drove through a red light at Boronia Road, Wantirna and crashed into the back of the woman’s motorcycle on Thursday morning, trapping her underneath his truck.
First Constable De Leo died at the scene.
Singh has been charged with culpable driving causing death and dangerous driving.
He appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday.
Defence lawyer Chen Yang said a forensic medical officer diagnosed his client as having “suicidal ideation” after he was arrested.
It was Singh’s first time in custody.
Fairfax Media understands police have not yet interviewed Singh, who will be re-assessed by a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse to determine whether he requires medication.
He did not apply for bail. Magistrate Andrew McKenna remanded him to appear in court on May 4.
First Constable De Leo worked at Benalla for two-and-a-half years before a transfer to Fitzroy three months ago. She was aged in her 40s and lived in the eastern suburbs.
Benalla Acting Inspector Ash Mason said First Constable De Leo was a well-respected and valued general-duties member who was only at the beginning of her career. “She had a huge career ahead of her and it’s a huge loss,” he said.
“She just wanted to get in, do her job and do it really well.”
Police Association assistant secretary Bruce McKenzie said the union was thinking of her family and the officers who had to attend the crash.
“One of our members has tragically lost her life simply by travelling to work,” he said.
“We have the greatest sympathy for her family at this time.
“We also feel for her police family and for her colleagues who attended (Thursday) morning’s tragic scene. She had only been in the force for a relatively short time.”
If you are troubled by this report or experiencing a personal crisis you can call Lifeline 131 114 or beyondblue 1300 224 636 or visit lifeline.org.au or beyondblue.org.au
Yesterday I lost a mate. The bloke I met was from the bush like me. We worked together at Redfern. It wasn’t all that long that I transferred back to the bush, the country that I love. As it turns out my mate loved the country just as much if not more than I. He loved my birthplace and spent many of his later years working in and around Broken Hill. He had an affinity with the desert. He loved its vast open spaces the quietness of the country the wildness of the storms and he captured that in his photography. I paid tribute to his talents by trying to capture what he had photographed by painting it in oils. Les and my paths crossed again in the 80’s when he walked into the building at Parramatta and joined the Response Group. Yes we were both back from the bush. We worked there on the same shift for awhile until I transferred closer to home. I left the Force in 89 and moved again. I returned to Sydney where our paths once again crossed when he walked into my place of employment. We were grateful to see each other again. “Hey Bunny, come and work with me.” He said. ” left the job and I reckon you would be good at factuals.” I joined him because I liked the bloke he was just that sort of fella. We worked for the same company but he couldn’t live in the city and he moved to Orange. I eventually felt the same and moved to the country as well. I again lost touch with Les and moved back to the coast. I was given information that Les had been and still was crook. I phoned him immediately and it was though we had only seen one another yesterday. The old friendship was renewed. I knew he was crook. I knew he was now housebound. He was down in the dumps, The site here was commenced for him to have something to do and to pick up with his friends he missed so badly. “Get Peter Cameron on the site.” He said. “My old mate from Moree.” He never forgot his mates. Peter joined us and another great bloke. Les could pick them. Les had his ups and his downs. I laugh to myself now just thinking about him with his false teeth he got a 12 or so months ago. ” I cant wear these bastards they hurt.” He persisted and I believe he was using them. I went down it was his turn to advise the crew of my well being. Thoughtful even though he was crook. I got back into painting, he was my greatest follower and critic. Although he said I was my own worst critic. He got a lot of art from me. Said it took him back to the country and that he and I in one particular painting were sitting by the camp fire yarning while the billy boiled. He liked my art I liked his straight forward comments and he wanted all of my work but often complained he did not have the walls. Les got very crook and you all know he was at deaths door. He rallied and recovered but was in constant pain and complained to me often as we were in regular phone contact. That contact slowed because of his breathing. I talked to him on video and the bugger would tease me because he sat there munching chocolates while talking. He called me his brother and loved me as a brother. I returned the compliments because he was as a brother to me. He was having trouble with his breathing and you the people of this site wanted to have a whip round to buy him a BIPAP machine. He cried because of your kindness. Police Legacy stepped in he cried again because they paid for a machine that he never got to use. I spoke to him about a week ago he could hardly breathe. I did not keep him on the line. You know the rest. What I am trying to say is that I want to thank every one of you on this site for being his friend. For rallying to his aid, for reading this and being here for all of us. I wish to thank you for all the messaged of kindness on the post, his Vale. I wish to thank you for your messages to me for your concern for me. We have all lost a mate and good friend. Rest in Peace Les. Loved you like a brother.
Bunny
Ken DaySo sorry mate. I never met Les in person but it was great to be on here and see his posts and his photos. You were both lucky your paths crossed. 2 good blokes.
Garry StillawayThank you for sharing Bunny. Feel your sadness. You are blessed to have been a part of Les’s life. You have shared many a story with me both on the phone & our PM banter. Les was a true Aussie in every sense. a bushie, a larrikin, a terrific Cop & family man. I never met him but through his posts on this site felt as though I had known him all my life. I am typing this with tears as I know what he meant to you & all that knew him. RIP Les.
Ray OwstonBeautifully written Bunny, from the heart which, is exactly what one would expect from his brother. The world is a better place for people like you and our late brother Les and whilst our lives do go on, there are those who depart yet leave us with indelible memories of their presence. I do not want to speak for everyone but feel that those who were privileged enough to have known and worked with Les would hold him in deep reverence. His passing brings home a stark realization that life is very short and we must treasure true friendships like there’s no tomorrow. I personally, whilst not knowing Les for anywhere near the time frame of your friendship with him, am very deeply saddened by his passing and can fully understand your deep sadness. Les is on his final journey home, to be free of the pain and suffering that he has endured over recent years and for that, I am grateful. Our loss, Heavens gain. He’s in a good place now, leaving us with those memories. Bless him, bless his family and bless those who are privileged enough to have called him a friend. We are all richer people for having known him. Farewell and God speed, dear departed friend. We’ll meet next in the here after.
Mel IssaYour both amazing men and I’m grateful through this site that over the years I got to know both of you….. I’ve got no one to call me sunshine anymore ???
Peter CameronBunny, you told me you were off to bed last night and I knew you wouldn’t you bugger. Now I am up at 4.30 with tears reading this magnificent tribute to our old friend. Thanks.
Bill ConnorsThanks Bunny for the insight into a man I’ve never met yet through this site felt I got to know. I too will miss his magnificent photography and his sharp wit, it was great to read the banter between you two.
Stuart NorrisFantastic tribute Bunny. It’s funny how I was first Stationed at Orange in 1987 and never met these champion blokes like Les who were obviously no longer in the job. It can be strange like that, in that when you were an “Ex”, nobody had anything to to with you except your own network of “Ex” Police. Both my best Police mates took their own lives so RIP Les your shift is done brother. Special condolences to you Bunny. Regards Chuck
Greg ElksI am grateful Bunny, that I had the opportunity to work with you & Les at the Response Group. Les was certainly one of those blokes that was great fun to have around on VIPs, always involved in the practical jokes. But not just a joker, a mate that enjoyed a yarn. I am going to miss him, just like everyone else on this site. A good Copper, a great bloke & our Brother.
Robert NorvalThere is that saying, “when you’re gone you will be just a memory. Make sure that memory is a good one”.
Sounds like Les fits this saying to a tee.
Geoff FloodSo sorry you lost a ‘Brother’ Bunny. The rest of us lost a friend, a workmate, a Facebook name that that I couldn’t workout, but more importantly a man who was well respected and loved.
Wayne CoghlanMan, what an eye he had, I just scrolled through the pics on his profile. I assume he took them going off what Bunny has stated. What a loss… for us, there’s some real beauty captured there.
Paul DaviesWow Bunny Warren what a great moving tribute to your ‘brother’. I never had the privilege to meet Les but your words certainly painted a fabulous picture of the man he was. I feel the pain and sadness that you are feeling now having lost Les. Some p…See More
Bill FortierVery well said Bunny…know we are with you and his family and share your sadness…I think we all feel we lost a Brother yesterday… but we will always have him with us through his talent of capturing the true bush scenes…he could see and capture the bush spirit…a man among men…
Peter J. JohnsonSo sad Bunny you and I lost a great mate, love the kind words, finding it hard typing this in the train with eyes full of tears. May he Rest in Peace.
Michael McCulkinAm sitting here in Broken Hill, and after reading your very powerful and emotive post I am going out later to watch the sun set over the desert and toast a beer to our lost brother, and to you.
Ian BorlandBunny Warren many times I messaged Les he would often get into my time at the Hill and ask me had I been to certain places and we’d discuss them. Mundi Mundi held a special place in his heart as did Silverton, which he knew every inch of. That was a tremendous post you’ve put up and shows just how the two of you gelled. Little wonder this news has hit you so hard, but you have the support of us all.
Tony StanleyBunny you have said the nicest things about Les, and your friendship with him is a true testament to both of you blokes. You are a real prick for making me cry like a fucking girl, but I freely admit I feel the same way about Les even though my friendship wasnt nearly as strong as yours. All the best mate.
Bunny WarrenTony, I am sorry but I had to pen my feelings. If I made you cry it show the testament of your feelings for the bloke. Thanks for reading and the lovely comment.
Stevenson ScottYour a Bloody Good Bloke Bunny, so gkad you shared that story with this wonderful group….Luckily we have brothers and sisters on this site united by our wearing The Mighty Suit of Blue….knowing that backup is there….Keep up the good work Bunny, Patty was lucky to share so much of his life with you mate, as we are now!! RIP Patty….you have left Bunny in Bloody good hands mate!!
Graham MarandaGreat written words about your friendship with Patty Macey. Your word description covers a few cup fulls of water from a full rain tank of lifetime occurrences between you both.
Alan HodgeFunny thing is Bunny, several times during my service, I was asked if I was related to Les Hodge. Never knew him, and the past couple of years have been corresponding via this site, only knowing & liking him as Patty. Shame we never met.
Steve McKeownWell said mate. He was a great friend to all his mates. Thank you for helping set up this site as it gave him much joy over the last few years.i was fortunate to be living close to him and was able to see him reasonably regularly. We were out of the same Class. 136 in 1973 and there was small groups of bush boys that hung out together. I lost track of him after the first 11 months and then caught up with him at the Con1/C course. Again lost track of him and didn’t catch up with him again till about 10 years ago. At first didn’t even remember each other but soon worked it out and became great friends again. Like u he was the brother I never had and I loved him like one. It has been a draining few days being with him during his last fight but I consider it an honour and know he would do the same for me. There is much more to tell. It it can wait till later
Ken EmmsGreat memories of Les that you will carry for the rest of your life mate. Thanks for sharing your friendship with him. We were all very fortunate to have been friends or Facebook Friends with him.
Christopher UreI am a atheist, complements of 13 years of Roman Catholic Schooling, so I do not believe in the after life, except to say this. “As long as there is a human on earth that remembers this man, he will exist and as long as he exists, we will remember him for all of his virtues and faults, but especially for his contribution to the safety of the people that are so often opposed to us.
Stevenson ScottRIP Patty, you fought the hard fight mate…Thank you for walking the Thin Blue Line with us ALL!!! Thanks for the laughs and contributions, your Duty is over dear Colleague, Gods Blessings to you and your Family mate, missed already!!
Tony StanleySorry to hear that sad news. I first met Les when I was in the Cadets and he was going through initial prior to being stationed at Redfern. He was a good mate to me and was a really good bloke. Rest easy and travel well mate.
Peter CameronA very sad day. Not only was Les a close friend, work mate but a founding Admin of this site some three years ago. A man that saved my butt more than once and was a bloody good cop. He was a larrikin and not without his faults like all of us and he would be first to admit to it. Les served at Redfern, Randwick, Moree, The Response Group, Newcastle and Katoomba (I don’t think I left any out). A man that served the State better than the average cop. RIP old mate. Les is in the centre of the photo, Bunny on the right and Bruce Rickard on the left.
Kevin LewisThis was one of the many great occasions I had working with Patty. Met him at the HWP Response Group and have many great memories working with the lad. My heart is broken.
Ray OwstonGod speed Les, to that place where all the good, gentle and caring people go. We’ve just lost a great person. Most sincere condolences are extended to his family and friends.
Kevin LewisBunny. Thank you for everything you have done for Patty. The news has broken me and I know you. It is a very sad day for everyone. Once again thank you.
Rene MarkerinkI never met Patty, but did like his input in this site. He must have been a great bloke. RIP Patty. Condolences to all his family and friends.
Ken EmmsVery sad to read of the passing of Patty (Les). My sincere sympathies are extended to Wendy & other members of Patty‘s family. Your sadness Bunny is expected & respected as I know what a good friend he was to you. Vale mate.
Len BalkI have just heard the news. I am so sad about this. Les I will always remember the shifts we shared and the good times we had especially st Bathurst. If there is a silver lining to this cloud it is that you are now free of body that was holding you down and you are now free to soar with the angels.
Wendy my thoughts go out to you and the rest of the family as well as my thanks for the love and care that you gave to Les .R.I.P Old friend.
Geoff FloodI never met ‘Patty‘, for that matter, I didn’t know his real name until today. I have been on this site for quite a number of years, and I always valued his opinions and his friendship over the keyboard. I hope Patty is going to a better place, a place where there is no pain or suffering. Rest easy my friend.
Clare MooreRest In Peace Patty/Les….we will miss your beautiful photographs and your charming wit and personality…..hope you are soaring amongst the angels in paradise ??
Scott EllisThis is just devastating. Patty has fought out of trouble so many times whilst I’ve been part of the group, it’s hard to believe. I know it must have tired him. With the imminent arrival of his machine to help I was hopeful of him enjoying some peace and better health. I am so sorry for those on here that are founders and foundation members of this great group, that has come to mean so much to me and others, that you have lost a brother and a friend. Without ever having shared his company in person, I have come to enjoy his insight, counsel and humour and gauging my feeling of loss, can but imagine and feel greatly for those that knew him personally and, of course, Wendy and his loved ones. We’ve got it from here Patty, although it’s initially a little too heavy a burden without you. Peace mate, Scotty.
Bunny WarrenWonderful words Scott, you feel our pain we all feel pain collectively. You have expressed everyone’s feelings with your feelings. Thank you and may he rest in peace.
Peter J. JohnsonDevastated is an understatement, Rest in Peace Les old mate we have known each other a very long time. I still remember the times we went diving for lobsters and boating around the harbour in the McGill “Flower Pot” calling in to all the bare bum beaches. I will miss you mate.
Cook LazBig wake up call to us ‘never growing olders’…seems like it was just yesterday I would catch up with Les when he was at Charlestown and ‘just a boy’… I don’t know what happened to all those years in between. RIP Les.
Queensland Police Senior Sergeant Mick Isles signed on duty on the morning of Wednesday 23 September 2009, went to work in uniform and has never signed off. We are awaiting response from Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart to adding Senior Sergeant Mick Isles to the Police Honours Roll and officially acknowledging his (Mick’s) signing off. How can that be unreasonable?
2 Jan 2017 – Isles to Queensland Police Commissioner: addressing criteria under Queensland Police Honour Roll Policy, responding to AC O’Regan correspondence
A trait of my father’s, an honourable trait through his commitment, belief and passion in people was more-or-less to always look for the good in people, even when I was a child and assaulted by an adult, my father convinced me to look for the good in the assailant, as there was obviously greater reason to why he was like that, an upbringing or similar. I found myself doing precisely that eventually, after the anger had moved on, I looked to for the good in this individual and many years later made peace in speaking with him and seeing that he had grown and changed and was no longer the same person.
As life has progressed even with some of the trials, especially more recently, I have found myself retreating a little over the last couple of years and trying to remove myself from stressful situations.
I guess, now I am finding there needs to be some happy medium and in an ideal world, my father’s trait would be admirable however in a world where many through generations have strayed from strong morals and treating your neighbour as you, yourself, would like to be treated.
For me both physically and mentally, I have softened over recent years in my zest, interest and drive for life. This in part has seen me too readily trust in individuals and some have resulted in individuals using the apparent lack of energy and zest as an avenue to access a perceived vulnerability and to take advantage.
For mine, in approaching 2017, simply applying much of life experience and the honourable person my father was, I can only aim to regain touch with the inner mongrel I had to find to navigate some of the situations that were thrown my and my family’s way.
This coming year, in order the finalize some matters close to my heart that have come so far, I will dance with the devil while maintaining strong morals however only extend a hand of trust, respect or offer of friendship where it is over time earned.
May those close and many that have shared some of this journey with me be able to toast achievements even beyond boundaries that have been set by individuals and bureaucracy.
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29 Dec2016 – Isles to Queensland Police Union President Ian Leavers
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Daily Mail Australia
‘Weather beaten’ man spotted at remote Queensland creek may be police sergeant Mick Isles missing for five years
Reports of a man resembling a missing North Queensland policeman
Senior Sgt Mick Isles of Ayr has been missing since 2009
A couple saw a ‘weather beaten man’ resembling Isles at a remote creek
Sgt Isles vanished from his home and has never been found despite extensive searches
A ‘reluctant’ coroner declared Isles dead at a 2012 inquest
Published: 15:35 +11:00, 13 January 2015 | Updated: 21:50 +11:00, 13 January 2015
A couple who spotted a ‘weather beaten man’ at a remote creek in northern Queensland have contacted police saying they believe he may be missing Senior Sergeant Mick Isles, who disappeared in mysterious circumstances five years ago.
Graziers, Bill and Elizabeth Tudehope were on a remote road at Landers Creek on the Burdekin River near Millaroo last Sunday when they saw the man who was of the same age and height as the missing police officer, the Townsville Bulletin reported.
Sgt Isles has not been seen since September 23, 2009 after leaving his home in the far northern Queensland town of Ayr for a workshop 80km north in Townsville. He never arrived.
Six days later, his police issue Toyota Aurion was found at Eight Mile Creek, 170km south. The latest sighting of Sgt Isles is at a location between Ayr and Eight Mile Creek.
Following his disappearance, police conducted extensive searches for the 58-year-old, using trackers, the stock squad and the State Emergency Service.
Apart from one alleged sighting by a truck driver soon after his disappearance, Sgt Isles has never been seen again until now.
At the time of his disappearance, Sgt Isles was on only his third day back at work after a lengthy period of sick leave following a Crime and Misconduct Commission investigation which had exonerated him of drug trafficking and money laundering allegations.
His wife, Fiona, reported her husband’s failure to return home after finding an undated note on the last page of a used notebook.
The note read, ‘This is nobody’s fault but mine. I feel old and have lost the will to do anything. I feel a failure and a loser, particularly to my family whom I love so much’. The note was signed ‘Mick + Dad’.
A shot gun and ammunition were found to be missing from the Isle’s family home.
Officers found a police uniform shirt stuffed under the front passenger seat of Sgt isles’ abandoned car and in the boot, along with a hessian bag, was a blanket and a box of ammunition that was missing 16 cartridges, a pair of uniform pants and a belt.
The car keys were on the front driver’s side floor of the vehicle and a set of senior sergeant epaulettes had been placed in the centre drink console.
At a 2012 inquest, Queensland State Coroner Michael Barnes found Senior Sergeant Michael Isles ‘intentionally took his own life‘ on the day he was reported missing. Mr Barnes said: ‘I sincerely regret the distress this will cause his family’.
The Townsville Bulletin reported that on Monday northern Queensland police have sent a team of detectives to the Burdekin river area to interview the couple who made the report.
Mr and Mrs Tudehope said they saw a man walking along a sugar cane train track mid-morning last Sunday and they asked him if he wanted a lift.
‘He wasn’t interested in talking to me and didn’t want any help,’ Mr Tudehope said.
They contacted Sgt isles son Steven, who travelled to the couples’ property and then contacted police.
THE life of former Warwick and Allora police officer Mick Isles will be remembered at a special memorial service to be held in north Queensland next weekend, his family has announced.
Senior Sergeant Isles – who has been missing since September 2009 – was a popular figure in the region during his service here, which ended in 1989.
Mystery still surrounds his disappearance and his family suspect foul play, but the Queensland Coroner last month issued an interim death certificate ahead of an inquest set down for next March.
Snr Sgt Isles (pictured) was on duty and driving from Ayr to Townsville for training when he vanished, but his family still hold out hope his remains at least will be found, if not the people they believe may be responsible for his death.
Son Steven Isles yesterday released details of the memorial service to the Daily News, saying he and his mother and sisters had been deeply moved by the support they had received from locals who remembered their beloved Mick.
“We still think at times that by some magic he might walk through the door tomorrow,” an emotional Steven said.
“But we are realists and we have little choice other than to accept the coroner’s ruling, but it’s an interim and an open ruling and we don’t yet know what may come out of the inquest.”
Mr Isles said the death certificate meant his mother, Fiona, could finalise matters relating to the estate after being forced lean on her children for financial support.
The Isles family has been critical of the hierarchy of Queensland Police, which they say failed to fully investigate Mick’s disappearance and repeatedly gave them the cold shoulder and little respect.
Snr Sgt Isles was police officer-in-charge at Ayr and was reported missing on October 2, 2009. Five days later his police-issued Toyota Aurion was found on a rough track near Ravenswood, 120km southwest of Townsville.
Steven Isles believes that people involved in his disappearance drove the vehicle there as a diversion.
Snr Sgt Isles had been cleared of corruption allegations the previous July and had been struggling to deal with the aftermath, but Steven Isles said his father had shown no signs of being suicidal in the days before his disappearance.
The memorial service will be held at the Burdekin PCYC in Ayr on November 5, at 10.30am.
Burdekin PCYC facility named after missing policeman
By Josh Bavas / Nathalie Fernbach
Part of the new Ayr PCYC building has been named after missing officer Mick Isles. His wife Fiona Isles says the dedication is an honour but feels the family have been let down by the QPS.
The family of missing Burdekin police officer Mick Isles has spoken out at the opening of a new PCYC facility in Ayr today.
The PCYC’s function room has been named after the Senior Sergeant who disappeared in September 2009.
Mick Isles’ wife Fiona feels proud that the work of her husband has been recognised by the community and believes he would have been humbled by the honour.
“Mick would be very proud in fact he’s such a humble person he’d be standing there saying ‘there must be someone more deserving than me’ he’d be that sort of guy”.
Senior Sergeant Isles was last seen driving an unmarked police car, his clothes and the vehicle were later found at a property in Ravenswood, south of Townsville.
Looking back on the past 18 months Mrs Isles feels she was let down by the police service and says the family was not offered any help or counselling until her son insisted they provide it.
“It was rather pathetic They did do it only because he forced their hand.
My family weren’t offered any sort of counselling, my daughters whatever, they had to go looking for their own”.
Eighteen months on the family of Senior Sergeant Isles remain hopeful that he will be found.
“Our family would never give up hope. We keep looking we keep looking, I keep going out to the spot where he disappeared and hope there’s something that may materialise” says Mrs Isles.
A pre-inquest hearing into the case will be held later this year.
A SEARCH by police of rugged bushland where missing policeman Senior Sergeant Mick Isles‘ abandoned car was found has failed to find any trace of the man last seen alive on September 23 last year.
Police wound up the two-day search around noon yesterday. A police spokesperson said the search focused on an area about two kilometres out from where Sen-Sgt Isles‘ unbadged, police-issued Toyota Aurion was found at the end of a little-used bush track at a spot called Eight Mile Creek on Hillsborough Station.
This week’s search involved police cadets, veteran officers and the horseback mounted stock investigation squad from Charters Towers.
A police spokesperson said the search for Sen-Sgt Isles would be ongoing.
“The QPS will never stop looking for Sen-Sgt Isles. The QPS is also helping the coroner with his investigation. As this investigation is ongoing, further searches may be conducted in the future,” she said.
The spokeswoman said the Forward Commander for the search was assisted by 10 police officers from general duties and specialist areas, and 28 police recruits from the North Queensland Academy.
The two-day search was conducted in hot and trying conditions. One police officer told the Townsville Bulletin that conditions for recruits and officers walking the hilly countryside on foot were extremely hot.
“They’ll be pretty knocked up,” she said.
“This was a routine search which had originally been planned for July.
“We had some rain back then and it threw things out a bit, so we’re here now seeing if we can find anything,” she said.
Sen-Sgt Isles‘ car was found at Hillsborough Station on September 28, five days after he was last seen alive. Nothing has been heard of him since.
TownsvilleBulletin.com.au
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Sacked cop claims victimisation
The Sydney Morning Herald
Evan Schwarten September 10, 2010 – 11:20AM
AAP
A sacked Northern Territory cop has launched action against two police forces, claiming he’s been victimised since the apparent suicide of his father.
Steven Isles, a constable with NT police since 2003, has lodged an unfair dismissal claim with Fair Work Australia over his sacking by NT Police Commissioner John McRoberts in July.
Mr Isles was on sick leave for almost three years before his dismissal following a dispute with superiors over police procedures.
However, he said he was ready and willing to come back to work in 2008 but NT police refused a request to institute a return-to-work program, similar to those offered in other jurisdictions, to support him during the transition.
Mr Isles has also made a formal complaint to Queensland’s Crime and Misconduct Commission, alleging he’s been targeted and slandered by senior police since speaking out over the treatment of his father, Senior Sergeant Mick Isles, who disappeared in north Queensland last September.
He alleges senior officers in Queensland and the NT colluded to discredit him in both jurisdictions in order to pave the way for his dismissal.
This included officers making unsubstantiated claims he was suffering from a mental illness and spreading rumours of his involvement in his father’s death, he alleges.
“I personally have been victimised and targeted and the subject of slanderous action taken by senior staff and personnel,” Steven Isles told AAP.
A CMC spokeswoman confirmed a complaint had been received on August 31 and was currently under assessment.
Both NT and Queensland police declined to comment on the matters.
Sen Sgt Isles went missing three days after returning to work at Ayr police station, south of Townsville, following a year-long absence while he was under investigation over allegations of corruption.
His vehicle was found abandoned in bushland west of Townsville but his body has not been located and Queensland’s coroner is investigating the apparent suicide.
Steven Isles has been critical of his father’s treatment, including the length of time it took to clear him of the allegations and the lack of support from within QPS.
He claims senior police responded to his stand by spreading rumours and false allegations about him.
In March this year the QPS notified Mr Isles his weapons licence would be revoked after several officers filed affidavits stating they believed he was suffering from a mental illness and that he’d made threats to knee-cap Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson.
The loss of the weapons licence would have been grounds for his dismissal in the NT.
However, Queensland’s Civil and Administrative Tribunal last month reinstated the licence after police were unable to produce sufficient evidence to support the claims.
Mr Isles then voluntarily surrendered his weapons licence.
The Workers Compensation Act of 1987 and 1998 clearly states that an action by an employer that is unreasonable is an offence.
An Investigation that is dragged out for three years is clearly unreasonable when they are supposed to be completed in 90 days. The Ombudsman can give an extension, but it also must be reasonable. Murders are usually solved within three months. If any of us as investigators take too long to complete a matter, then we face serious managerial actions so why not the investigators of internal matters?
Has there ever been a 173 or 181 issued to an investigator of an internal matter that has failed or not been successful? I’ll bet not, but then again old Reg has been wrong before. Fact is allegations can hurt a person, but more so hurt a good honest hard working officer because of the pride that comes with sound integrity. To be put through such an ordeal for such a long period with such a minor and disproportionate outcome, is plain disgusting and I hope in the end an enquiry into the matter of the good Sergeant reveals this.
This sort of delay in an internal investigation, also does damage to the family unit, especially the wife who like for most of us has to endure watching their husbands become withdrawn and gutted even after the allegations are proven untrue.
https://police.freom.com/tbl
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Parliamentary Crime and Misconduct Committee : Report No. 81 – A report on a review by the Parliamentary Crime and Misconduct Commissioner of the actions and holdings of the Crime and Misconduct Commission in relation to the investigation of Senior Sergeant Michael Isles. http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/view/committees/documents/PCMC/reports/PCMC81.pdf approx. 246KB
It would be an interesting read for those of you without an investigators background and I recommend it to anyone with a genuine interest in this matter. For those of you not bothered to read the report here is the full wording of the conclusion, on page 29 of the report.
CONCLUSION
p29
My review of the actions and holdings of the CMC in relation to the investigation of Sen Sgt Isles revealed that, in regards to the concerns raised by Mr Steven Isles, Senior Sergeant Michael Isles and Mr Terry O’Gorman, the investigation was conducted appropriately but not in a timely manner.
My conclusions in relation to the major issues of concern identified in Mr O’Gorman’s letter to the Committee of 18 May 2009 are as follows:
As to whether there was a proper basis for the issue of a search warrant against Sen Sgt Isles – the CMC received information which suggested that an unidentified Queensland Transport or QPS officer had issued driver’s licences to associates of the principal target for $4000 per licence. The CMC made appropriate enquiries before seeking the search warrants from the Magistrate. Those enquiries established that all testing and issuing of driver’s licences in the area was conducted by
QPS officers at the Ayr Police Station. The CMC ascertained that four of the principal target’s associates had obtained HR licence upgrades in the relatively recent past and that those tests had been conducted and the four licences upgraded by Sen Sgt Isles.
The CMC considered that comments made by the principal target suggested that the person of interest may have been involved as the conduit for the communication and flow of funds and information between the principal target and the subject police officer. Telephone billing and call charge records established a high frequency of telephone contact between the person of interest and Snr Sgt Isles and a fair amount of contact between the person of interest and the principal target.
I do not consider the CMC’s actions in seeking search warrants based upon this information, to be inappropriate. In my view the CMC did consider all relevant and available facts and materials before seeking the search warrants from the Magistrate.
Certain matters which might be regarded as adverse to the issuing of the warrants sought were disclosed in the applications for the search warrants. Other matters were not disclosed in the applications for the search warrants but I do not consider it to have been inappropriate that these matters were not disclosed.
As to concerns about the public manner of the execution of the search warrant – I have concluded that Snr Sgt Isles was not detained in an extremely public manner. It was in his own office at the Ayr Police Station that Sen Sgt Isles was detained and the warrant executed upon him.
The search warrant was not executed at a time and manner where unnecessary embarrassment was occasioned to Senior Sergeant Isles. If anything, it appears that steps were taken to avoid causing unnecessary embarrassment to Sen Sgt Isles. Further, in my view it would not have been operationally appropriate for the CMC to delay executing the search warrants on Snr Sgt Isles.
As to concerns about the return of property seized at the time of the execution of the warrants – the CMC obtained an Order in Relation to Thing Seized under the provisions of section 696 of the PPRA permitting the property to be retained. Therefore, notwithstanding the initial indications by CMC officers that the mobile telephone would be returned within three or four working days, in light of the order obtained by the CMC and Sen Sgt Isles’s written consent to the CMC keeping the property until the conclusion of any investigation or proceeding involving the property, it is difficult to conclude that the CMC’s retention of the telephone was inappropriate.
Conclusion Page 30
The CMC’s retention of the mobile telephone for a further eight days after 29 April 2009 when Sen Sgt Isles was advised that the investigation regarding matters concerning him had been completed, may be regarded as inappropriate.
I have concluded that the CMC’s investigation of Snr Sgt Isles was not conducted in a timely manner. The time it took to prepare the draft investigation report, make the determination as to whether there was evidence capable of supporting any action in respect of Snr Sgt Isles, and to advise him of that decision, was excessive.
Steven Isles, in his letter to the Committee of 1 April 2009 advises that the continued and tardy investigation at the hands of the CMC has and continues to have a very marked impact on the health of my father, Michael Isles, mother, Fiona Isles, and also a number of other family members who were present at the time of executing the search warrant and the like.
It is not surprising that an unduly protracted investigation of allegations as serious as these would have such an effect.
Mr O’Gorman’s letter refers to previous complaints concerning the time taken over such investigations involving serving police officers. The CMC is well aware of such criticisms in the past and should have made a greater effort to complete this investigation within a reasonable time frame.
However it should be noted that I have no adverse comments in terms of the quality of the investigation itself it was appropriately thorough and professionally carried out with suitable recognition of the seriousness of the allegations against Sen Sgt Isles and the QPS more generally.
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Petition calls for resignation of Qld police commissioner
Penny Timms
Updated
The son of a missing police officer has launched a petition calling for the resignation of Queensland’s police commissioner Bob Atkinson.
Senior Sergeant Mick Isles has not been seen since September when he went missing from Ayr in north Queensland.
Steven Isles believes his father was bullied by the Queensland Police Service and says an overhaul is needed.
“I’m actually in the process of starting a 5,000 kilometre trip throughout Queensland, rallying for support to move a no-confidence motion in commissioner Atkinson’s continued service as the chief executive officer of the Queensland Police Service,” he said.
The ABC has approached the Commissioner’s office for comment.
Family of missing police officer Mick Isles turns to witchdoctor
news.com.au 1 November 2009
AFTER exhausting all conventional options, the family of Mick Isles has turned to an Aboriginal tracker and self-professed witchdoctor to find the missing Queensland police officer.
Arnhem Land-based tracker and witchdoctor Victor Huddleston and his son Victor Nathaniel Huddleston have arrived in Queensland and tomorrow will begin searching bushland around Ravenswood, where Senior Sergeant Isles‘ abandoned car was found in late September.
An exhaustive search involving police, army and SES personnel was launched shortly after Snr Sgt Isles‘ disappearance on September 23 but failed to find any trace of the missing policeman.
However, Mr Huddleston believes he and his son will find Snr Sgt Isles within two or three days, even though any footprints left by him a month ago will have disappeared.
“I will know where he is because I will see his spirit,” Mr Huddleston told AAP.
Mr Huddleston has been involved in a number of searches in the Northern Territory and says he has never failed to find the person he’s looking for.
“When I get close to the place I will see the clear picture,”he said.
“It always works, whenever I am serious about it.”
Senior Sergeant Isles‘ son Steven travelled to Mr Huddleston’s community last week to seek his help after learning of his reputation through a police contact in the Northern Territory.
He said having spent time with Mr Huddleston in his community at Ngukurr in Arnhem Land, he was confident in the witchdoctor’s abilities.
“We have no expectations, but we are approaching with open arms,” he said.
“We’re here to establish whatever we can, to identify what has happened and potentially even finding my father, if he is there to be found.”
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Search for missing policeman Mick Isles scaled back
By David Barbeler
AAP News.com.au
October 05, 2009 08:20am
*
THE search for a missing senior police officer in north Queensland has moved into a scaled down third phase, with police to visit property owners in the Ravenswood area.
Senior Sergeant Mick Isles, 58, who is stationed at Ayr in north Queensland, was last seen leaving his home in an unmarked police car at 7.30am (AEST) on September 23.
The car was found near Ravenswood several days later, but an extensive air and ground search, which included 45 Australian Defence Force Personnel, has not been able to locate him in the past 12 days.
A police media spokeswoman said, contrary to some media reports, police were not suspending their search but instead were focusing their attention on property owners.
“Police will visit all neighbouring stations in the area, providing property owners and workers with pictures of Sen Sgt Isles and checking all water holes and water courses for signs of unexplained human activity,” the spokeswoman said.
Yesterday, police said temperatures in excess of 30 degrees Celsius in rocky terrain with lots of steep inclines and gorges had left many searchers exhausted and had had an effect on numbers.
The matter is now in the hands of the state coroner.
Acting Commissioner Ian Stewart said the state coroner had become involved along with the northern coroner and they were now directing the investigation.
Sen Sgt Isles‘ son Steven Isles, a police officer in the Northern Territory, said the family was deeply worried about his father’s welfare.
“Our family is obviously quite distraught. We wake up every morning hoping we are going to hear some good news,” Mr Isles said.
He said his father suffered from severe depression brought on by a delay in the joint Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) and police investigation into allegations made against him.
The CMC investigated Sen Sgt Isles over allegations of receiving payments for improperly issuing driver’s licences and money laundering.
The investigation exonerated Sen Sgt Isles on September 18, but took more than a year.
“The delay in the joint CMC and police investigation certainly impacted on my father,” Mr Isles said.
A Facebook site called Help Find Mick Isles, set up by the family, has attracted the support of more than 4700 well wishers.
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Coroner directing search for missing policeman
Updated
The investigation into the disappearance of a North Queensland policeman is now in the hands of the state coroner.
Senior Sergeant Mick Isles, 58, left his home at Ayr, south of Townsville, to attend a police training session on September 23.
His unmarked police car was found near Ravenswood several days later, but an extensive air and ground search has not been able to locate him.
Police and SES volunteers will continue scouring the area today and will review search efforts this afternoon.
Acting Commissioner Ian Stewart says police are no longer in charge.
“The state coroner has become involved [with] the northern coroner and they are now directing the investigation,” Acting Commissioner Stewart said.
The Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) says it has investigated allegations against the missing officer but they could not be substantiated.
Police Minister Neil Roberts says he will not comment on reports the officer’s family is pursuing legal action after he was cleared by the CMC.
“I can understand the family is going through a very traumatic time at the moment and I don’t want to make any comment on any proposed legal action or not,” Mr Roberts said.
“In the end, individuals have a right to pursue whatever action they feel is appropriate.
“At the moment though, the Queensland Police Service is obviously very concerned, just as the family is, for the welfare of Sergeant Isles, and a lot of resources and effort is going into trying to locate him.”
THE family of missing Ayr police officer Senior Sergeant Mick Isles has set up a trust fund to finance a legal fight.
Sen-Sgt Isles disappeared on Wednesday last week, just two days after he returned to work following an exhausting nine month Crime and Misconduct Commission investigation from which he was cleared.
The move comes as police phase out the search and rescue component of their response and instead launch a missing person investigation.
Police have also confirmed they are investigating why Sen-Sgt Isles disappearance wasn’t reported when he failed to turn up at a planned training session in Townsville.
Son Steve Isles would not elaborate on the exact nature of the legal action, but said his father was suffering depression at the time of his disappearance as a result of the events which had played out over the past year.
”It’s a trust fund which has been established for legal action which is pending,” he said.
”It’s certainly a fund which has been established in the pursuit of justice which the family feels will prevail no matter what the outcome of the search.
”The fund has been established due to the overwhelming requests from the public.
”The family has been humbled and warmed by the compassion of people who have come forward and will do so much in our time of need.”
* ISLES TOOK A GUN WITH HIM
* SOLDIERS JOIN SEARCH FOR MICK ISLES
* AYR COP CLEARED OVER MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS
Mr Isles said the family was grateful for the support of those conducting the search, including the police service.
”They are our best hope of getting him home safe at the moment,” Mr Isles said.
However, he urged all organisations to review their procedures when dealing with an employee suffering from a mental illness.
Sen-Sgt Isles left Ayr to attend a training course in Townsville on the Wednesday morning, but it wasn’t until 7pm that evening that his wife, Fiona, raised the alarm despite his non-attendance at the course.
”It is certainly alarming when the police make arrangements for that person to attend training and no one follows up on seeing where that person is or touching base to make sure if they are okay,” Mr Isles said.
Northern Police Region operations co-ordinator Chief Superintendent Mike Keating said the circumstances surrounding Sen-Sgt Isles‘ disappearance would be fully investigated.
”That’s part of the inquiry that we have to go through,” he said. ”The full circumstances of when he left Ayr, where he was going to and discovering where he went to and why he didn’t get to where he was expected to be. So that clearly will be a matter of some interest in that investigation.”
Supt Keating said police were still hoping for the safe return of their colleague but were preparing for the potential of a coronial investigation.
An extra 40 people will be tasked to the search and rescue efforts at Ravenswood today where the car driven by Sen-Sgt Isle’s was found abandoned on Monday.
The 100-strong team will search the less likely areas in the 63km square radius from where the vehicle was found but in the absence of further evidence, efforts will be scaled back in that particular area.
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The Sydney Morning Herald 2 October 2009
From community pillar to recluse: missing cop’s downward spiral
Two weeks before his father vanished, Steven Isles travelled from his home in the Northern Territory to the family home in Ayr.
A fellow policeman, Steven knew his dad, Senior Sergeant Mick Isles, was suffering.
Senior Sergeant Mick Isles (centre) with former state Police Minister Judy Spence and Queensland Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson.
For 13 long months Senior Sergeant Isles, a seasoned general duties officer and pillar of the local north Queensland community, had carried a terrible shame.
Mistakenly caught up in a corruption inquiry linked to drug trafficking and the fraudulent issue of driver’s licenses, he had not recovered from the humiliation of being arrested in front of members of his local Lions Club.
A 35-year veteran of the force, he had been planting trees in July last year when senior police acting on behalf of the Crime and Misconduct Commission detained him for questioning. His house and his workplace were also raided.
He was officially cleared on September 18, but family say few in the town or the confines of Ayr police station ever believed he had done anything wrong in the first place.
And yet the damage was done, Steven Isles said yesterday, eight days after Senior Sergeant Isles, 58, removed his uniform, dumped his police car and took off into rugged bush 80 kilometres from home.
“Over the past 10 months I’ve watched him age in the face five years. He became reclusive, he was too embarrassed to show his face in public,” Steven Isles said.
“My father is a very proud, very strong, very humble man. He did not ever want to be the centre of attention.
“It was like taking a senior public servant or a politician and arresting them at a press conference. Everyone is entitled to a presumption of innocence.
“Even after he was cleared people would come up to him in the street to congratulate him and he hated that. He would say to me, ‘Why are people congratulating me? I didn’t do anything.’
“I have no doubt the police process and the CMC process is behind these recent developments.”
The family, represented by outspoken civil libertarian Terry O’Gorman, is taking legal action against the CMC and has set up a fighting trust – The Justice Fund.
Wife Fiona, daughters Lisa, 31, Nicole, 24, and son Steven, 29, have traversed the state with Senior Sergeant Isles during his lengthy police career serving in Brisbane, the Darling Downs, Cloncurry, Bowen and the Gulf of Carpentaria.
He had returned to work after a period of stress leave just two days before he vanished.
On September 23, as Sydney awoke to an eerie red sky and dust storms tracked north towards Brisbane, Senior Sergeant Isles pulled out of the driveway of his Young Street house about 7.30am in a silver police-issue Toyota Aurion sedan.
Having just returned to the job, he was being retrained in defensive skills and had been due to attend a course at Townsville police station that morning.
Instead, he drove 80 kilometres in the opposite direction, to the remote Hillsborough cattle station.
His car was found abandoned – ignition keys on the passenger side floor – about half a kilometre off a dirt track six days later. His uniform had been removed, leaving him in just a singlet and boots, and investigators say he was carrying no mobile phone.
“Certainly there were no signs that something like this was about to unfold,” Steven Isles said.
“He had had a difficult time but he was not someone who would ask for help.
“He was two years from retirement. I think the way [the CMC investigation was handled] bewildered him but this is completely out of character for him.”
Police on Wednesday called in the army and State Emergency Service to help scour 63 square kilometres of bushland near to where Senior Sergeant Isles‘ car was found.
Northern Region Chief Superintendent Michael Keating said if no new information came to light today, it was likely the land search would be suspended and police would move into “an investigation phase with the view to providing a report for the coroner.”
That is not something Steven Isles or his family is ready to consider. A Facebook page set up by Nicole Isles this week imploring people to “please keep your eyes peeled for my dad” has attracted 3200 members and growing.
“We are absolutely lost but we will not give up hope. We are doing everything we can,” Steven Isles said.
“Members of the community have come to us with dreams they’ve had. We’ve consulted a clairvoyant. We are open to absolutely anything at this point, anything that will lead us to our father.
“He could be disoriented, he’s probably hungry and sunburnt… [but]I would certainly hope he might feel compelled to find someone close by to bring him to a place of safety.
“Once he’s found, getting him better can take as long as it needs to.”
Senior Sergeant Isles is about 180 centimetres tall, of a medium build, with brown wavy hair and hazel eyes. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
If you or someone you know needs help with depression, contact SANE Australia on 1800 187 263.
A MAN matching the description of a missing Queensland policeman has been sighted near Townsville.
Police have appealed for more information after members of the public reported seeing a man dressed in civilian clothing and matching the description of Senior Sergeant Mick Isles walking along the highway near Toonpan, about 30km south of Townsville.
Grave fears have been held for Snr Sgt Isles since he went missing last Wednesday.
Snr Sgt Isles is stationed at Ayr, in north Queensland, and was last seen leaving his home in an unmarked police car at 7.30am on Wednesday.
Officers located the silver Toyota Aurion sedan at a remote property near Ravenswood.
The man sighted on the highway is described as caucasian in appearance, aged in his late 50s, approximately 178cm tall, with greying hair.
He was wearing a short sleeved checked shirt, grey dress shorts with a thin black belt, white socks and black shoes.
He was also carrying a small carry bag.
Police have asked members of the public to remain vigilant for any sightings of any person along the Flinders Highway and in the Toonpan area that may fit the description of Snr Sgt Isles.
It wouldn’t surprise me in the least that when they find Isles, they will charge him with Illegal Use of a Motor Vehicle.
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Police locate car driven by missing officer
28 September 2009 News.com.au
POLICE have found a car believed to have been driven by a missing police officer.
Grave fears are held for Senior Sergeant Mick Isles who has been missing since early Wednesday.
Snr Sgt Isles is stationed at Ayr, in north Queensland, and was last seen leaving his home in an unmarked police car at 7.30am on Wednesday.
A police spokesman said officers had located the silver Toyota Aurion sedan, with Queensland registration number 060KVD, at a remote property near Ravenswood.
The owners of the property called police this morning after locating the vehicle.
Police have arrived at the scene, and an aerial and ground search is underway.
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There has been similar investigations run here in NSW where a bodgey complaint gets lodged for what ever reason and then warrants are obtained to dig up something and then when nothing is found they go down the managerial path and find that the person who was alleged with a serious criminal offence is now only guilty of not signing a diary. It stinks and has been going on for years, destroying careers of very highly regarded officers. Most of all as in this case the family also get hurt, but I am sure, like here in NSW the QLP Senior Executive have not given a rats about the wife and kids.
Royds does this story sound familiar with one of your close mates????
I hope an pray that the good Sergeant has just decided to take some time out as he has a family who will be left in pain forever should something terrible happen.
. . . . .
What you say is so true but to not invite the Senior Sergeant to the opening of his own Police Station is about as low as you can go.
QPS management should hang their head in shame as something like this is all it takes to tip someone over the edge and destroy a long career and a family.
. . . . .
Police sources said Sen-Sgt Isles left a note in a downstairs safe thanking his wife and their three children for their support and for standing by him.
https://police.freom.com/tbl
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Sen-Sgt Mick Isles son pleads for information
September 25th, 2009
LATEST: THE son of Burdekin police officer Senior Sergeant Mick Isles has delivered a tearful plea for information about his missing father.
Police hold grave fears for the safety of 58-year-old Sen-Sgt Isles after he disappeared two days ago.
The former officer-in-charge of Ayr Police Station was recently cleared following a Crime and Misconduct Commission investigation.
He was last seen leaving his Graham St home about 7.30am Wednesday.
Son Steve Isles, a police officer in the North Territory, choked back tears as he spoke to the media in Ayr this afternoon.
He said he had spent the past fortnight with his parents in Ayr to help his father cope with depression.
Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson travelled to Ayr today to support Sen-Sgt Isles‘ family, fellow police officers and staff.
Sen-Sgt Isles was last seen driving a police service vehicle, an unmarked 2009 model silver Toyota Aurion sedan, with Queensland registration number 060 KVD (pictured below).
He is of caucasian appearance, about 180cm tall, with a thin build, brown hair and hazel eyes.
Police do not believe Sen-Sgt Isles is a danger to the public but urge against approaching the vehicle.
Anyone who may have seen the vehicle or has any information relating to Snr-Sgt Isles location should contact Townsville Police on 4759 9777 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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Missing cop had just returned to work
DANIEL HURST September 25, 2009 – 2:12PM
A senior sergeant who vanished in north Queensland two days ago had only returned to work this week, having taken stress-related leave during a Crime and Misconduct Commission investigation.
Senior Sergeant Mick Isles, who is based in Ayr, near Townsville, was last seen driving away from his home in a police service vehicle on Wednesday morning.
He was reported missing the same day.
His disappearance comes two months after the CMCcleared him of allegations he received payments for drivers’ licences improperly issued at the Ayr police station.
brisbanetimes.com.au understands Senior Sergeant Isles had just returned to work on Monday. It is believed he signed out the police car on Wednesday morning to go to training in Townsville.
A police statement said the force held “grave concerns for his welfare”.
“We do not believe Senior Sergeant Isles is a danger to the public; however, we urge the public to not approach the vehicle, but to contact police immediately if they see the vehicle, or have any information relating to Senior Sergeant Isles‘ location,” the police statement said.
Senior Sergeant Isles has been a police officer for 35 years, having served as officer-in-charge of various stations including at Ayr, according to a Townsville Bulletin report.
He has previously won a Queensland Police Service Lantern Award for his interactions with the youth population in Cloncurry.
Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers described the officer as well respected.
“He is a very highly regarded officer,” he said through a spokesman.
“We feel for his family who are enduring a terrible time while he is missing.”
People are urged to be on the lookout for an unmarked 2009 silver Toyota Aurion sedan with ( Qld ) registration plate number 060KVD.
Senior Sergeant Isles is about 180cm tall, of a medium build, with brown hair, hazel eyes and a Caucasian appearance.
Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
I would just like to thank the QPS and the CMC for their unprofessional, victimising, deplorable, and degrading treatment of my husband, myself and my family. With only two years to go in the service, Mick held the QPS in high esteem for the past 35 years, but you have successfully changed all of that. Thank you for wrecking our lives. I take heart in `What goes round, comes round’. We are so very fortunate to have had the most remarkable PUBLIC support.
Posted by: Fiona Isles of Ayr 12:20pm Monday 11th May 2009
Now I question the usefulness and effectiveness of (1) the hierarchy of the QPS and (2) the integrity of our so called watch dog, the CMC. This is contrived rubbish – whose ego was at stake here? I worked with this officer in many community matters and have not found anyone more honest or dedicated to his job and to improving the lot for Qld. I am disgusted. I have lost faith in the Qld police, who have barely considered this man’s years of exemplary service and the CMC who have run with gossip to enact such dire consequences. Shame on you all. …and you sit in the seats of justice!
Posted by: R B Stewart – prefer unpublished of Central Queensland 09:27pm Saturday 9th May 2009
Senior-Sergeant Mick Isles has been cleared by the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC), however the fight to clear his name has just begun.
For nine gruelling months, Sen-Sgt Isles has been the subject of a CMC investigation into the suspected improper use of a number of drivers’ licences.
The long-serving officer, who is currently on voluntary sick leave, was never officially stood down from policing duties.
The CMC yesterday confirmed its investigation was unable to substantiate an allegation that Sen-Sgt Isles had corruptly received payments for drivers’ licences improperly issued at Ayr Police Station.
However, the authority said it had referred evidence of `serious maladministration of the Ayr police station, including issues of drivers’ licences’ to the Queensland Police Service (QPS) for further investigation.
CMC spokeswoman Karen Crook said Sen-Sgt Isles was advised of the outcome of its investigation last week, however the Lantern Award-winning police officer only received a letter from the public watchdog on Wednesday “ the same day Ayr Police Station was officially opened by Police Minister Neil Roberts and Deputy Commissioner Kathy Rynders.
Sen-Sgt Isles had not been invited to the ceremony.
Brisbane-based solicitor and Australian Council for Civil Liberties president Terry O’Gorman is acting on behalf of the Isles family to make an official complaint about Sen-Sgt Isles‘ treatment through Queensland’s Parliamentary Crime and Misconduct Committee (PCMC).
Mr O’Gorman told the Townsville Bulletin he was prepared to take the matter even further, if needed.
He said it appeared an unjustified search warrant had been taken out against Sen-Sgt Isles.
“It was carelessly taken out. In any event, on the face of it, as it appears to us, it was unjustified and we want the PCMC to inquire into the circumstances that led to this search warrant being taken out,” Mr O’Gorman said.
“I’m not saying that he should have received any preferential treatment above anyone else, but I am saying that when the CMC are involved in taking out a search warrant, they should exercise “ whether it’s a police officer or anybody else “ much greater care and ensure the facts on which they take out a search warrant are significantly verified, or in effect they can stand a royal commission.”
Sen-Sgt Isles was not able to comment yesterday due to legal issues. However his son Steve Isles, who serves as a police officer in the Northern Territory, said the manner in which his father had been treated was `deplorable’.
“As far as the investigation’s concerned, it’s good to finally see some justice in bureaucracy,” Mr Isles said.
“This goes some way towards vindicating my father of serious criminal allegations, but it does nothing to remove a lot of the mud that will still stick.”
Mr O’Gorman said the CMC needed to answer why it took it so long to complete its investigation.
The watchdog has blamed the delay on the fact Sen-Sgt Isles was on extended sick leave and he had refused to communicate with them – an allegation strongly denied by the Isles family.
“If you are a police officer and your life is effectively put on hold, it’s just unacceptable. On the face of it, this clearance could have been given five, six or seven months ago,” Mr O’Gorman said.
QPS Deputy Commissioner Rynders this week said Sen-Sgt Isles had not been invited to the official opening of his station due to a `miscommunication’ between him and the regional office.
Mr O’Gorman said they must have known his client had been cleared by the CMC well before the station was opened, as the letter sent to Sen-Sgt Isles was dated April 29.
“It just emphasises the slight in not inviting him was not a mere oversight. It was clearly more than that.”
In a short statement from QPS yesterday, a spokeswoman said police would proceed with issues raised by the CMC.
Mr O’Gorman said it added insult to injury for Sen-Sgt Isles.
“All that’s come out of this is a terse statement that there’s no evidence, but then cop this for your troubles “ we’re now going to look at you because your paperwork may not be up to scratch.”
Sen-Sgt Isles, who has been a police officer for 35 years, was nominated for the Townsville Bulletin’s North Queensland Police Officer of the Year award last year.
Sen-Sgt Isles has been in charge of several police stations since 1985. He was also awarded a Queensland Police Service Lantern Award, for youth action commitment in Cloncurry.
Stations: spent most of his Service with the Fingerprint Unit, O.I.C. Doncaster, Kew, Prahran, Supt: Essendon, Acting Chief Superintendent for District of Ivanhoe
Service: From 5 August 1948to 26 May 1987 =40years Service
Served in Cyprus from May 1969 – May 1970
Awards: National Medal – granted 10 September 1986
Police Overseas Service Medal – Clasp CYPRUS – granted 8 July 1992
Born: 25 May 1927 in U.K., Brackley, Northants
Missing: Since Wednesday 6 June 2007 ( Anniversary of Pat meeting his wife – Sally )
Body located: 3 March 2010 – High St, Lower Templestowe, Victoria
Died on: it is assumed that Pat may have died on Wednesday 6 June 2007
Age: 80
Cause: Suicide – most probably medication overdose
Memorial ceremony : 25 May 2008
Funeral date: 16 March 2010
Funeral location: ?
Buried at: Cremated
Memorial at: Pat’s Ashes were sprinkled in the surf at Separation Creek where he regularly body surfed on the 6 June 2010 – being the Anniversary of his disappearance
[alert_yellow]PATRICK is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance[/alert_yellow] *NEED MORE INFO
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FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED ABOUT THIS PERSON, THEIR LIFE, THEIR CAREER AND THEIR DEATH.
Closure for family – Doncaster man Patrick Hearn’s remains found
Missing Doncaster resident Patrick Hearn has been identified as the man whose remains were found behind bushes next to High St in Lower Templestowe.
Mr Hearn, a former Doncaster police superintendent and United Nations peace-keeper, went missing after leaving his Doncaster home on Wednesday, June 6, 2007, leaving his family baffled.
The skeletal remains of Patrick Hearn, 80, a 40 year veteran of Victoria Police, was discovered this month under shrubs next to busy Hight St.
Family claim Patrick Hearn left home to die because euthanasia is illegal.
A FORMER police superintendent missing for almost three years wandered off from his family and lay under a bush in suburban Melbourne to die because euthanasia is illegal, his family claims.
The skeletal remains of Patrick Hearn, 80, a 40-year veteran of Victoria Police, was discovered this month under shrubs next to busy High St in Lower Templestowe.
The discovery shocked residents and officials in the heavily populated area.
Mr Hearn, who suffered depression and had told his family he didn’t want to burden them or end up in a retirement home, disappeared on June 6, 2007, the 38th anniversary of the day he met his wife Sally.
Mr Hearn left his home in the early hours of the morning with some medication and never returned.
Sally Hearn said Patrick died a cold and lonely death because of the illness he suffered and his decision not to break the law.
“We all say if voluntary euthanasia had been legal we could have all been with him and he could have gone peacefully, not exhausted, lonely, cold and wet on that awful night of rain and frost,” Mrs Hearn told the Manningham Leader last week.
Son Royden Hearn said his father was an “old school” man who chose not to tell his family or say a final goodbye because he would have been prevented from leaving.
“He decided to write his own chapter and he did … if euthanasia wasn’t such a huge crime he probably would have been able to sit in his favourite armchair and say goodbye,” he said.
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John Michael SHANAHAN
| 18/01/2017
John Michael SHANAHAN
aka Mick
New South Wales Police Force
Regd. # ?
Rank: First Class Sergeant – Retired
Stations: ?, Old Jindabyne, Bega, New Jindabyne, Barham, Cooma, West Wallsend, Cootamundra – retirement
Service: From? ? 1956 to? ? 1988 = 32 years Service
Awards: No find on It’s An Honour
Born: ? ? ?
Died on: ? ? ?
Age: ?
Cause: ?
Funeral date: ? ? ?
Funeral location: ?
Buried at: ?
Memorial at: ?
[alert_yellow]MICK is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance[/alert_yellow] *NEED MORE INFO
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Funeral location: ?
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FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED ABOUT THIS PERSON, THEIR LIFE, THEIR CAREER AND THEIR DEATH.
On 15th November 2006 the senior sergeant was in Canberra to attend a Conference of the National Counter Terrorism Committee on behalf of the New South Wales Police Force in his capacity as Police Technical Unit National Capability Advisor. He collapsed and passed away at his accommodation while preparing to attend the conference.
The senior sergeant was born in 1962 and was sworn in as a probationary constable on 26th October 1984. At the time of his death he was attached to the State Technical Investigation Branch. He is listed in the official New South Wales Police Honour Roll.
Dave Whiteman is a gentleman of infinite talents who shows you may more than adapt to changing circumstances and live your life to suit your passions. Versatile to the nth degree, advances in services may be attributed to his hard work, an insight into Newport during an era when so much was changing and a love for this area still inherent dwell within his self and spirit.
We first noticed Dave’s photographic talents when one of his great images of Palm Beach Camping area from the mid 1950’s popped up in the Old Sydney Album on facebook, just one of the places we have a look when researching for History pages. After a quick conversation with Dave, and he happily allowing us to run this photo on the Front Page – Issue 265 in that base spot we reserve for Environment each week, present, and occasionally past, we knew we had to talk for a longer spell to him.
One of the first things he wanted us to get out to all of you was an upcoming Pittwater High School Reunion for all of you there during the first decade of this great local school – details:
Pittwater High School – Years 1963 to 1972 Reunion
October 22nd 2016 at 12 noon. Royal Motor Yacht Club, Newport.
Students who attended Pittwater High School between 1963 and 1973. The Facebook group is for students who were at the school at the same time as the first group of students who graduated in 1968, and graduating no later than 1973. https://www.facebook.com/groups/phsey/
Then we went on to talk about Visions – and photography being able to communicate these – logical conclusion: ask Dave to take a turn as an Artist of the Month – which he is for the whole of October. Soon he began speaking about Newport, the place where he grew up, and thankfully allowed us to start at the beginning to make a record of one who was there, then:
Where and when were you born?
1951 in the old Mater hospital at St. Leonards. At that stage we lived at North Ryde, which was the outer suburbs of Sydney.
How long did you spend at North Ryde?
We were there until I was about 6 when we moved to Newport Beach in 1956/1957 to 6 The Boulevarde.
What was it like growing up in Newport during the 1950’s?
Newport was like an appendix of Sydney and the world ended at the Eleven Mile Store, south of there was a big black hole to us kids. Newport, and the peninsula further north was really like a backwater, like the country or a rural area. Seeing the old double decker 190 bus going through was the only link you had with the city.
Reconstructed Eleven Mile Store (Porters Store) – courtesy Guy Jenning’s The Newport Story 1788 – 1988
Newport in the 50’s was more of a holiday resort – lots of cottages and people who had holiday houses. It was a village with weekenders and had that village feel about it. There were some old buildings and where the Ampol service station used to be on the corner of the Boulevarde and Barrenjoey Road, opposite the bowling club, there was a Chinese restaurant, the only one in town. As kids we’d walk past and the putrid smell was overpowering.
Opposite that there was an old Art Deco style house called ‘The Lodge’ which was an abandoned building. In those times that’s where some of the local lads used to take some of the local girls. Very risqué!
Just along from there was Buck Taylor’s grocery store and the main shopping centre was down the Northern end of the town. Dave Pitt’s newsagency was on the eastern side before it crossed the road, the Hodges had a hardware store and Bert Payne had the Timber yard at the back of this. Old Tom Wilson worked at the hardware store. His claim to fame was that the character Tug Wilson in the R E MacDonald novels about the Australian Navy in the Second World War, was based on him. Tom Wilson was quite a character, he used to come to work in a bow-tie – you could buy anything in that hardware store. Up the little lane beside the hardware store there was a Pet shop where I bought my birds.
There was the Alley Cat Milk Bar where the Beatniks used to hang out and down on the corner of Coles Parade was Bolle’s Milk Bar where the surfers used to hang out and opposite that, Spellson’s Night Club. Opposite was the Box-O-Birds milk bar and Tingell’s Nursery.
Newport was pretty Bohemian in those days and attracted some very interesting characters. Not many will remember “The Dugout” off Bromley Lane next to the bootmakers. On a Saturday night the Beatniks would meet there in a smoke filled room with the beat of hip music thumping.
There was nothing at what is now Porters Reserve, it had been a tip in those days. My dear old dad would take rubbish to the Newport and Avalon tips before they closed and this was considered a day out for us kids as he’d not only take rubbish to the tip, he would return with more than he went with. We would go could scavenging and we’d be running around in thongs, not even thinking about bits of wood with nails or anything like that. Meanwhile dad would look for pieces of cedarwood to use in his woodwork projects.
Many people remember old Mary who ran the Avalon tip we wondered how rich she may be. Newport tip closed when they filled it and they built a gas ball up and the end of the track and water tanks up top above Attunga Road.
Liz and I met at the St Michael’s Newport Church Fellowship Group. I used to go there because it was somewhere to go on a Friday night, to get out of the house. Liz was 12 when I met her and I was 16 and we’re still together. Anyway, Liz and I would wander up to the gas ball in Spring and pick the wild Freesias, they were all around there then. Porters Reserve was named for Carl Porter who was the boss of a construction company. I went to school with one of his sons, Robbie.
The gas ball reservoir in what used to be called ‘Farrell’s Quarry’ – courtesy Guy Jenning’s The Newport Story 1788 – 1988
At Newport Public school. Mr. Embury was the headmaster then and David Embury, his son, was in my class. Miss Bird was headmistress of the Primary section. I started there in Transition Class, which was in-between Kindergarten and First class.
I didn’t know Liz then though, she was living in Wallumatta road. To show you how keen I was, I used to ride my bike around to there and then walk up that hill, that’s a big hill.
One day I was coming back, when I was about 17, and Liz’s mum was taking them out somewhere in her little Volkswagen. We got down the bottom of the hill, me on my bike, near Heath Howell’s garage and they stopped at Barrenjoey Road and I kept going, straight into the back of her car. I used to build up some speed coming back down that hill.
Tim Bristow was also around when I was growing up. If I was down surfing he would come down, he was living in the units at the end of Ross Street prior to building a house round in The Crescent. If he saw me he’d drag his surf ski down and call out for me to come paddle his surf ski for him. I’d put my board down and paddle his ski off out off Newport Reef while he was snorkeling and spear diving. He’d spear fish and put them into a bag and I had to try and keep this bag on the surf ski, which would keep washing off and they’d be bloody sharks all around us – he was mad that bloke!
Liz’s father John Parkes, nicknamed ‘Cyprus Sid’, was in the Police as well and was a mate of Tim’s. He went to Cyprus with the NSW Police contingent as part of the United Nations Peace Keeping Force in the late 1960’s. This was a 12 month stint and you had to be a Senior Constable or above for them to take you.
Tim kept an eye on Liz’s family while her dad was away. Liz actually had her 21st at Tim’s home in The Crescent. This was a good night until some shady characters suddenly arrived and Tim said ‘everybody leave’ – and that was it, we all had to go.
I remember one Friday night, I’d had an altercation with one of the Windshuttle boys the previous week. They sent a deputation around to the church Fellowship hall and said ‘we’ll see you down at the Surf Club after this is done.’ I thought ‘righto, it’s going to be on’ I went down there and there was around a hundred guys gathered and we were shaping up ready to get stuck into it and all of a sudden there’s this thundering voice; “What the duck’s going on here?!” It was Tim. “I know both of your old men and they’ll be very upset if they find out this is going on.” The fight never got going after that– Tim was like that.
Where did you go to High School?
Pittwater High, I was in the second year to go there in 1964. The school opened in 1963, prior to that the only High School in the area was at Narrabeen. Stan Gorrell was the headmaster when I went through Pittwater. He was a tough old buzzard with the nickname ‘Stag’. Pittwater High school was good, a great school. This was during the 1960’s and there were a lot of things going on, the Vietnam War for instance.
At Newport on the weekends, and even during the week, you would see groups of U.S. soldiers on R&R. They would get a bus from the city out to the beach, it was nothing to see them wandering around the streets. You would see them in the little park where our home was on the corner of Ross Street and the Bouldvarde. There was a little bench there and they’d come there and sit and we’d go and chat to them while a lot of their cohorts would stay in the city, go up to Kings Cross.
That little park at Ross Street and the Boulevarde, called ‘Gretel Park’, was just overgrown weeds when we first went there in the late 50’s. There was an open drain that used to run through the centre of it and there was no kerb and guttering then. In the early 1960’s when Packer’s yacht Gretel went to contest the America’s Cup, my dad put in a submission that the park should be called ‘Gretel Park’ after the yacht. All those trees around there, the Norfolk Pines, he planted those and they are still there.
An aerial of Newport about 1957. You can clearly see ‘Gretel Park’ and the drains etc. that was even before kerb and guttering.
Did you play in that drain?
Of course. That was only a little drain though. Behind the shops was the big drain that everyone (us kids) went in, the outlets for which were down near the end of the bowling club. We’d go in there and play. I still remember the little drain in Gretel Park though, and all the duckweed and stuff – how we didn’t die from disease I don’t know.
In my final couple of years at Pittwater High, 1968 and 1969, three other guys and myself formed the first rock band made up of students at the school, The Velvet Image. Steve Marsh, Peter Chick, Mick Davidson and myself played at school socials and other venues on the Peninsular including the first Barrenjoey High school social. Hopefully at this year’s reunion we will all get together for the first time in 47 years.
Right: The Velvet Image 1969 : L-R Peter Chick, Dave Whiteman, Mick Davidson, Steve Marsh
What’s your dad’s name?
Randall, but he was known as ‘Snowy’ Whiteman. He was the boss of the famous 21 Division in the 60’s. When he retired in 1967 he’d wander around in the Summer in just a pair of shorts, no shirt, smoking a pipe and wearing sandshoes. He’d go to Dave Pitt’s newsagent to go and get the paper each morning. One morning Harry Ballarem (the Count), who was the boss of Mona Vale Police Station, saw Snowy sitting on the bus seat there outside the butchers. They pulled in and he sat down with Snowy; ‘how’s retirement going’ and all that sort of thing, and the next minute, he’d handcuffed him to the bus seat…and then they drove off. Here was the old man sitting there reading the paper handcuffed – you wouldn’t have got away with that thing a few years later on, but they were good mates all the same.
What did you do when you left school?
My first job was a Telegram boy at Newport Post Office. I used to ride the Post Office bike around Newport delivering telegrams. I’d do this on weekends and during school holidays.
I used to be involved with the local Newport Chamber of Commerce, more as a hanger-on I’d say to begin with, as I didn’t have a business but knew a couple of guys who were in this. I went to their end of year Ball, which was round at the Royal Motor Yacht Club, and there was a particularly lovely English girl there, an absolute stunner. I found out where she lived, up in Queen’s Parade West, so as a Telegram boy I would look for the letters coming through for her from the UK, and I’d put a stamp on them ‘Hand Delivery’ just so I could deliver them to her personally and see her. She thought it was quite strange. She came from Yorkshire so had a beautiful broad Yorkshire accent… “Ooooohh, that’s looovly, all these hand delivered letters”.
I also worked at the Mitre 10 Hardware store for a while. It was me who upset Tug Wilson, around 1968-69. I had to repaint the ceiling and he would say, ‘come on, get back up there you’ve missed a bit’ and so on. I got a bit upset and so started painting Peace signs all over the ceiling. He’d come in the next morning, ‘get those bloody thing off there!’ and I’d have to paint over them.
The very first job I had when I left school though was working as a Labourer on the Newport Arms, this would have been around 1969. Where the drive through is now there was only a little bar. This was the boat rowers bar, a little outdoor bar. (Brian Friend – where they had a carnival between Avalon, Newport and Mona Vale, all the boat rowers would go back there after a carnival).
The construction company was Green and Lloyd. A local bloke, Peter Anderson, was a bit of a legend around here then and used to drive a cement truck in those days. We used to dig 18 foot piers down to the bedrock so they could pour these for the foundations. These pier holes were about two feet wide. There was two or three others who got jobs as Labourers; Chicka Joyce, whose brother Frank “The Indian” who we’d find asleep under a tree on the way to school, myself and Owen.
They would put a ladder down and we would have to go down and scrape the bottom out so it was just bedrock. One day the cement truck came to do a pour and somebody said ‘where’s Chicka?’ – somebody said ‘he’s probably having a beer’ – they had the weakest bladders those blokes! – somebody would go in to use the toilets, have a beer on their way out, and by the time they got back to the site they’d have to go back in again, and on and on they’d go.
At any rate, he wasn’t doing that loop, fortunately somebody said ‘no, I was just in there and he’s not there.’ Anyway, Peter Anderson had the shute out ready to pour the concrete when someone said, ‘hang on a minute, wasn’t he down scraping the holes?’ We peered down into the darkness the hole and there he was asleep! They were just about to pour tons of concrete – they would never have found him.
Another job was working for Zacchary Stollznow up at his restaurant ‘Zachary’s’ at Terry Hills. They lived opposite us in the Boulevarde. Our family became very good friends with them and I thought I’d like to do cooking and become a chef. When I left school, much to my dad’s disappointment, as he wanted me to join the Police, and being a rebellious teenager, I said ‘no way in the world would I do that!’. I began working at Zacchary’s restaurant on a Friday and Saturday night and Zac would drive me up there. The worst part of that was he would like to sit around after the restaurant closed and get on the turps. I would have to wait for him while he’s doing that and it would be two o’clock in the morning before we’d head back home.
Dad said, ‘if you’re really keen on doing cooking then you’re going to learn somewhere properly.’ So I ended up at QANTAS Flight Catering out at Mascot, which ran 24 hours a day. I had an old FE Holden and would drive in there everyday, although with not the same volume of traffic you have today.
At Qantas I was getting paid $18.00 a week. I was learning the trade but it wasn’t like cooking a la carte meals such as I’d done at Zacchary’s. They would bring trays of steaks out and I would be on that for a week; that’s all you’d do all day – put them on, turn them over, on and on. Boring stuff.
In those days security at the airport was so lax, and because we were in catering and you could have anything you wanted to eat, we’d go into the bakery and get two or three rolls and stuff these with bacon and eggs. Sometimes we’d get rolls and make lobster Thermidor or Lobster Newburg and have this on bread rolls. I was skinny before I started working there, but not afterwards. For lunch three of four of us would take a tray of these out, where the 707’s were parked on the tarmac, and sit in the pilots seat with our feet up on the dashboard eating lobster rolls! No wonder the profits were slim that year! You couldn’t get away with that today.
In March 1970 my dad died of a heart attack. He was just 63. I came home from work and found out he’d been taken to Mona Vale Hospital. They didn’t have the drugs then that they do now so he died very young really.
But he was such a live wire that three days after he initially went in, we went down to visit him at the hospital, he wasn’t in his bed. We asked where he was and the nurse explained he was cutting somebody’s hair (laughs). So he was going around the Wards giving people trims, he’d borrowed some scissors form the nursing staff (laughs).
A week later they phoned us and said we’d better come down, he’d had a relapse, that was the 19th of March, 1970. The last words he said to me were ‘time for a haircut eh?’
Anzac Day 2015… Wearing my father Randall’s (WWII) and my Uncle Rupert’s (WWI) medals with my own National Medal and Australian Defence Medal
His funeral was held at St. Michael’s at Newport, where Liz and I met and where I used to play the organ during my teenage years, in fact I played the organ at Nat Young’s wedding. The Minister was Bruce Horton, and all through the vows Nat Young couldn’t keep his hands off his bride, kept giving her little pecks – Bruce Horton was ‘come on, focus…!’ Sounds like he was focused though…. (laughs)
I used to surf with Nat Young and Midge Farrelly when Newport Reef was working. Robbie Porter and I would go surfing before school and we’d go out off the reef. If Robbie wasn’t there I’d still go, and this was prior to leg straps, and we didn’t worry about sharks or anything like that. It was a long swim if you fell off!
An event of enduring significance was the meeting of my future wife, Elizabeth Parkes, at the St Michael’s Newport fellowship group in 1967. Yes we were school sweethearts and eventually got married at St Michael’s in 1977, and will celebrate our 40th Anniversary next year, 2017.
After a while of driving into Mascot and being on $18.00 a week I decided this wasn’t any good. So I started with a company called Compunet at Artarmon, who at that stage had the largest mainframe computer in Australia, the Univac 1108. I worked as an operator – QANTAS later got one of these. Compunet was a computing bureau where programmers would come in with punched cards. We would feed these into the card reader, and load the tape drives. Very interesting work and I could see a future in computers. I was on $50.00 a week.
During the time I was there I drove my FE Holden and there was a chap dad used to give a lift to work, Jim Blows, who lived at Mona Vale, and whose wife played the organ at our wedding. Jim would wait at the bus stop at the corner at the top of Bungan, near the Eleven Mile Store.
I saw him waiting at the bus stop there one morning when I was on my way to work and thought I’d do the right thing. I did a u-turn and went down to come back up, it was a foggy morning. I looked up, couldn’t see anything, turned right and bang, I’d hit a motorbike, or rather he hit me. Fortunately I didn’t kill him but his leg was shortened after that – Ted Zann. They lived in Newport. for years I used to see him and his wife often and he walked with a limp. That was the end of the FE Holden.
Ironically, years later when I was part of the Highway Patrol, I was chasing a bike one night from Newport up the hill and across the top of Bungan and there was a similar incident. The bike went left and another car in the middle lane – Kenny Bulger veered right and I veered left – the bike went into that little road there, and I ended up ruining the Charger right on that same corner there, a second accident on the same spot.
Compunet had a reshuffle and got rid of three computer operators. I then went to work at Cemac at Brookvale, so I was in Timber then for a year or so.
A school mate of mine at that time, Tom Brown, lived in Mona Vale and came up one day and said, ‘guess what boys – I’ve joined the New South Wales Police Force’. I was a bit shocked but thought, ‘if Tom Brown can join the Police, I can too’.
I applied, and because my dad had only left three years before, I still knew Inspector Roy ‘Curly’ Slocombe, who was the boss of 21 Division at the time. I went in and saw him and he said he’d give me a reference but I had to be fit and fulfill all the qualifications. I was successful in my application.
Tom Brown later turned up and he’d received a letter stating they’d knocked him back. He’d been caught speeding in Queensland and had forgotten to tell them about it. They said he hadn’t been honest but it was merely an oversight but he got knocked back.
I started in Class 129 on the 1st of November 1971 and did six weeks at Redfern, which was the Police Training Centre, the PTC. Dad used to take me out to the Depot when he’d work on a Saturday at 21 Division and so I knew all the Police horses by first name and would crawl all over the motorbikes and sidecars. So it was a bit like old home week for me but when you went back there with Sergeant Andrews as the Instructor it was a different matter. You weren’t allowed to walk across the Parade Ground – there were rules, an etiquette that applied. I remember this caused problems when dad was head of 21 Division as each Christmas they’d go out and rip up the Parade Ground to plant a Christmas tree, which of course upset the drill staff!
First day as a new Police Constable 16th December 1971
I did my six weeks there and was then stationed as a Probationary Constable at Manly with three other guys, sadly one of them passed away New Year’s Day this year, Ventry Lewis, a good mate and a lovely chap. That hit me hard.
While I worked the beat at Manly, Bumper Farrell was the 1st Class Sergeant and I worked with him as a driver. Winter would be interesting; he was a chain-smoker even though he was a superb sportsman, so he’d drive around with the window open, freezing cold, I’d be shivering behind the wheel, and he’d be at me… ‘man up!’.
The author Larry Writer asked me for some stories to use in his book about Bumper and I mentioned in one of these that even though he was a tough man there was a real empathy for everyone in him too. One day we were called to a deceased on Manly Beach. The car crew were already there but we went down and this was an immigrant family who really had no friends in Australia. They lived in Marrickville, had gone to the beach and the old man had laid back in the sand to sunbake and just didn’t wake up. The wife and the kids were pretty distressed so Bumper said, ‘right, we’ll take them home, we’ll leave the rest of the formalities for the moment.’
We drove them home to Marrickville and went into the living room, Bumper said to me ‘go and make a cup of tea for these people’. And we stayed there with them and he comforted here and made sure they had some kind of support there – he told me to go find the neighbours, go find someone to be here for them, to stay with them.
He really had a soft side to him, he was a very good man, a terrific cop. There were a lot of good Police that I worked with at Manly.
I was then transferred to Mona Vale and Brian Friend was at Mona Vale, that’s where I first met him. Being the most Junior Officer there I got all the station duty – and what was known as ‘fatigues’ where you had to do all the gardening. Harry Ballerum used to tell me I’m doing the garden tomorrow, mow the lawns, all that – I’d respond ‘I didn’t join this to do bloody gardening’ – but garden I would. I hated doing that.
Harry Ballerum was called ‘the Count’, he was a spit and polish man, apart from when he was handcuffing dad to the bench, but Mona Vale then was fairly quiet – ‘Koala Park’ they called us. The Collaroy boys were jealous because if we had to go out in the car and didn’t have a station boss rostered on, we’d have to put all the calls through to Collaroy.
(Brian Friend: There was a bit of a ongoing jesting between Don Freudenstein, the boss of Collaroy and Harry. One day when there was no one else to do fatigues Harry went out to mow the lawn himself – now Harry was a short skinny bloke with a big belly. As he was finishing doing the mowing the phone rings, he answers and it’s Don ringing to say ‘I’d like to make a complaint about the pregnant woman mowing the lawn – I don’t think that’s a good look’.
Harry gave him a mouthful of course and hung up. Christmas time was good as we’d all get together, we were all mates ultimately, all wore the same uniform and worked together.)
Did you go out on the Water Police too Dave?
Yes, I did – I crewed for John MacNamara, who was actually the Officer who attended my accident when I hit the guy on the bike. I did some days with him and also crewed for Buster Brown. I recall once we had to go to a yacht off Palm Beach, that was pretty hairy, nothing like what Brian had to do of course though.
More often than not I would be on station duty though, being the junior officer. I’d sit on a quit night on the veranda and watch the cars go by and would see the Special Traffic Patrol (Highway Patrol) guys in the Mini Coopers in those days; Frank Daniels, Brett Scott Young and Gordon Hay. They would park opposite the station watching the cars coming through. When one came through a bit quick they’d take off after them. After seeing this a few times I thought ‘that’s got to be better than sitting here’. I spoke to Stuart McCloud, ‘Old Silver’, and explained this is what I wanted to do, Special Traffic Patrol duty.
As a guest of Assistant Commissioner Corboy A.P.M. at the unveiling of the Special Traffic Patrol Mini Cooper ‘S’ at the Goulburn Police Academy in July 2016
(Brian Friend: in 1974, when we went from 14 Division, which was Manly out, to 29 Division, our own Division, we got our own Highway Patrol.)
Dave: When it was 14 Division, Manly to Palm Beach, if there was a job going and we were going past, as the Highway Patrol, we’d attend it, even if was just to settle he situation down or assess the situation until the local General Duty guys arrived. There was a bit of a culture then where the Detectives would give the Highway Patrol some lip, they called us ‘the cockroaches’.
I remember one Christmas party at Manly where one Detective, whose name escapes me, was giving the Highway Patrol boys some lip, calling them cockroaches etc. I stepped up to him and asked him how many lives he’d saved last week. “What do you mean?” How many lives did you save last week? I then explained I’d stopped 40 or more speeding, arrested a few drunk drivers and given tickets to a few who drove dangerously. I don’t know how many lives I saved but I knew it was more than him – food for thought. I never heard any criticism from him again, he realised there was another way to look at our different roles within the Force.
I went to Manly on the Special Traffic Patrol, the STP as it was called then. John Ley was the boss there. This was all spit and polish, you had to Parade in the morning there, very different to ‘Koala Park’.
Manly Special Traffic Patrol about 1973… (Dave back row 2nd from right.)
I did the course up at St. Ives. At that stage we’d just got the Torana’s. The STP changed to the Highway Patrol and then as Brian explained they split the Division up. Some of the guys went from Manly to Mona Vale. Bill Marcroft was the boss out there then, one of the Inspectors.
I stayed at Manly, did the usual Highway Patrol things; attending accidents, attending Court for cases.
Manly STP 14/41 about 1974
In April 1977 Lizzie came back from America, where she’d been staying with relatives, and we got married, at St, Michael’s church at Newport where we first started. We lived in Manly Vale at this stage and the Highway Patrol moved to Frenchs Forest.
Frenchs Forest Highway Patrol 14/41 about 1980
What was the worst experience you had while doing Highway Patrol duties?
People don’t understand that alcohol and driving don’t mix. I couldn’t count the amount of accidents I had to attend due to this.
(Brian Friend : I don’t think anyone understands how horrific it can be having to attend some road accidents. Younger adults think they’re ten feet tall and bulletproof and it’s only when it happens to someone they know or a member of their own family that they realise this is something that scars you for life – you never get over it.
Nowadays this is compounded by a drugs problem, which is causing more of the same.
As a Police Force member, it’s like anything else – Ambulance Paramedics for instance, if you can’t handle it, you have to get out.
We were blessed in our day in, if we had had a hard day, we could go over to the club at Mona Vale, have a beer with our mates and be able to say ‘I had a sh*t of a day today’. You could talk to somebody that could relate to it.
Today the General Duties Officers have to do a lot of hard stuff but there’s a lot who have never seen anything like these accidents or many of the other incidents others have to attend where something tragic has occurred.
For the average General Duty Office, or Highway Patrol Officers, they see this all the time and it can get to them, of course it does – if they have mates they can go and have a beer with and talk about it, it’s the mateship, that’s what we lived by – that was our code of honour.
If you could get it off your chest before you went home you could get on with it. Today they let them fester and then decide to send them to a shrink – someone who has come out of university and never seen a dead body but will tell them how to react or deal with seeing a dead body – what can they possibly know?)
Dave: I was talking to a bikie on Sunday, a Harley man, and we spoke about this very thing too. He said ‘it must be hard for the Police to see all these things and have to deal with them’. I explained that now they have all these counsellors but the problem is the counsellors have never seen any of this stuff, so there is a gap between theory and reality.
We dealt with it in different ways, and Brian has spoken of how he dealt with it. Back in 1976, I was at Manly at the time, on afternoon clearway duty in a marked car. A call came over that a truck had come down Woodland Street at Balgowlah and smashed into a block of home units.
As I was in the next street I called in and went to attend. There was traffic everywhere. And here was this truck with a tray and a cab which should have been this wide but was now this wide. He’d come down the hill, lost the brakes and taken out the ground floor of this block of units at the bottom of the hills. All the stuff on the back of the truck had come forward too.
I grabbed some bystander and told him ‘you’re on the radio, I’ll tell you what to say’. They cleared the channel and started other Police and emergency services on the way.
The driver was squashed up in the cab, the handbrake had gone through his leg – he was in a bad way but he was in shock. I told him he’d be alright and told the guy on the radio – tell them we need paramedics, more police, a rescue vehicle, everything!
The truck driver kept saying to me “how’s my boy? How’s my boy?” I kept telling everything will be alright. The other Police arrived, and the Ambos and Rescue Squad, Col Coleman brought some doctors from Manly Hospital.
I went around to the other side of the cab, here was all this brickwork all over the place and on the truck, and saw down between the seat and the front of the cabin which was squashed to about a foot wide, two little shoes. I reached in and the little boy was still warm – he’d been on the seat asleep. When the truck hit the wall he’d fallen forward off the seat and had been crushed instantly.
The driver they put drips into, and we had the rescue squad there. He got taken to Manly Hospital and the little kid was taken to Manly Hospital morgue. It turned out the driver’s wife had walked out on him and the kid and left him to look after the six year old child. There was nobody to look after the boy. He’d taken him out with him on the truck.
He’d been working on the brakes on the truck because he couldn’t afford a mechanic. The Vehicle Examination Report showed they hadn’t been put back properly, all that sort of stuff.
McGrory Truck Accident Balgowlah 1976… Dave holding the injured driver with Keith Giddings, Garry Raymond (Police Rescue Squad) and Graham Jessup (Police Rescue Squad)
The Sergeant at Manly Traffic said ‘you’ve got to charge him, unfortunately.’ I said, ‘you can charge him with whatever you like but I’m not signing anything on this – this poor guy has lost his son’. I really gave him a serve, it was hard for everyone.
So that little guy, that accident, that bugged me for years. It was only late last year when I found him, he’d been buried at Macquarie Park. I went over there with Liz and her mum one day and saw him and put some flowers on his grave. The kid’s father died aged 72 and they’re in a Family Plot there – so that was some sort of closure for me – decades later.
People deal with things in different ways. Brian had all this support and mates around him. Some don’t have that. They can end up going and getting on the turps and developing a problem, what’s known as ‘the black dog’. For me that was the worst one. Little Shane, he would have been 46 now.
(Brian Friend: What Dave there also points out what affects cops the most – and that’s the kids. This is because you relate it to your own kids.
I remember having to attend one, a burnt boat on Pittwater where we had to dig a baby out of the bow and get this child up to Mona Vale Hospital.
You don’t forget things like that – they stay with you. You have to go to work the next day anyway, do the Coroner’s Reports, everything associated with such tragedies.
We’re blessed in that we have the support of our wives, I think you can ascribe getting through it all, in a large part, to that, to our wives.)
How long were you on Highway Patrol?
I left Frenchs Forest Highway Patrol in about 1981 and went to the Communications Section. I began as a radio Operator at VKG at Smith and Campbell streets, the old CIB at Surry Hills. It had once been an old hat factory and now is very smart very expensive apartments.
They had the scientific section there too and this is where Michael and Lindy Chamberlain’s car was for months, down in the basement while all that investigation and court cases were going on.
While I was an operator there a few other guys from 14 Division were there. I was put on Channel D and E mostly, which was the North side of the Harbour, and this was great as I knew the area and knew those who were doing the work.
I was there for 12 months and then went into the training area and was training Radio Operators. This involved role playing exercises – the Granville Train disaster for instance, we’d use that as an example. We had radio consoles and we’d be in the other room gradually escalating what was happening to see how they coped and dealt with what was happening and how to manage a situation even though you can’t actually see it happening. Often when we’d escalate the incident, some would get up and walk out, you found out where their stress threshold was.
(Brian Friend: Your Radio Operators were basically the backbone of any job you were sent into. They had to determine what was needed and where and when and how to support those in the field.)
Dave: The Radio Operator had to determine what those in the field were saying, which resources they needed to be called in to help them and they had to take control. You had other operators coming in to help you, getting on the phone to the Ambos, to the Rescue team but you had to get the information out of the those attending and determine what’s actually going on.
The first cop to arrive at the Granville Train Disaster got there and said there’s three people injured when in fact there were 81 and a bridge about to be coming down over three carriages. So the Radio Operator had to get them to look, to get all the information out of them, and work out what was needed – all that was needed.
I would give lectures to classes at the Academy and say to them, ‘what’s the most important thing at the scene of a disaster or an accident – what’s the most important?’ They’d answer; ‘attend to the injured’ etc etc. The most important thing is the safety of the rescuers – simply because if they get injured then there’s more people down and more people you have to send in after them.
At the Granville Train Disaster, if they’d have just gone in all guns blazing, where there was gas, it would have been ‘bang’ – there would have been more people killed. You have got to be able to contain the incident and then make sure the rescuers are going to be safe to work – if you lose another three, whose going to rescue them?
Bob Bell (another old mate who died this year) and I came up with a Program that we submitted to the hierarchy of the Police Department, who took it to the Australian Police Commissioners Conference in Perth, that would address the perennial problem between Police-Ambulance-Fire Brigade.
There was a problem in that calls didn’t even come in to somebody who was trained – they’d be directed to someone at Telecom on the Triple 0 circuit; in other words, last week they were patching through calls on the international circuit and this week they’re on the Triple O circuit.
People would ring up and say this or that is happening and they would ask ‘who do you want?’ …umm, police? And they’d go bang, and put it through to the Police. We came up with this paper for a Program, it was 60-70 pages of outline, where they set up a centre and Emergency Call Distribution Centre – ECDC – which bypassed Telecom/ Telstra so it came straight in to trained people would say ‘what is your emergency?’. If you listen now, that’s what they ask. “What is your emergency?”
They get the information, listen and decide, ok, for this one the priority service is the Ambulance, send it through to there and then they determine, right, we need Police in on this one too, and the Police would be brought in too.
What precipitated this was as the Training Section we would do all the tapes from the incidences; murders, police chases, other incidences, including the Roger Rogerson shooting at Chippendale – he came in and said, ‘Dave, I want the tape from today’. – I said, ‘bad luck, Internal Affairs has already come over and taken it.’
There was an Incident out at Hurstville whereby a young kid had phone a Triple 0 operator, and he was a young immigrant kid where English wasn’t his first language, and had said ‘firing, firing – there firing’ – and they put him through to the Fire Brigade. The Fire Brigade went in, without telling anybody else, and sent a truck to this address and as the Firies are walking up the path – bang, bang, bang – the father shoots the three kids. So this poor kid was saying his father’s firing, had been firing a gun in the house. The Firies then call the Police who go in and find he has shot his family.
We stated this at the end of the report, if they had been able to be having trained people talking to this kid they would have been able to find out what it was and provide the response that was required. This wasn’t a fire.
We had a meeting, did our presentation, the Ambulance head and Fire Brigade Head was there, and we explained we needed to set up an Emergency Call Centre with people trained by and from the Police or the Ambulance or the Fire Brigade – in all three really. We went forward with it and they adopted some of what we suggested in our Report/ Paper. Unfortunately there was some kind of ‘the unions won’t wear it’ so they didn’t implement the whole thing the right the way through the three services.
I then started becoming involved in the early days of Personal Computers and moved into another section, the Telecommunications Technical Unit – we looked after all the telephones for all of the department. We had 17 rows of filing cabinets where they stored all the records for all the phones and radios. We had the first PC (Personal Computer) for the Department, an old WANG PC, which had a 30MB hard drive and a monochrome monitor. I began teaching myself database Programming and wrote the software to track all of the telephones and all of the radios in the Department.
I was living out at Emu Plains by then and so would study on the train to and from work.
It used to take six months to do an audit of all the radios in the Department, determining where they were, what they were doing etc. The Department gave me a dozen data entry workers to implement the Program and put all of this data in. Once we had done this it took five minutes to print a report of where every telephone and radio was. I received a Departmental Award for the work I had done from the Assistant Commissioner for Services. I’d trained up another couple of Public Servants who had been allocated to work with me on this.
Another quite new item then was a Word Processor. I typed up a report on one of these and took it round to the Superintendent who was well known for being finicky on how everything was termed and would mark your reports with what needed to be clarified or modified to make them correct as per the way they were to be done.
You would end up with a 20 page report with red pen marks all over it. Prior to this reports were all typed up on your old typewriter, so correcting them or making modifications was another task on top of the already quite lengthy in some cases report. This particular report received the usual corrections and was handed back to me to go and change. I reappeared minutes later, due to being able to use the Word Processor, and the Superintendent was amazed. He decided everyone should have one of these.
Why Emu Plains?
My maternal grandparents lived in Penrith. We used to go out there as kids when they still had steam trains, it was a big country town then. My brother lived out there, built a house at Kingswood and Liz and I would visit him every month.
One of my nephews left school and went into Real Estate. At that stage we were living at Telopea. We went out to visit my brother Max one weekend and my nephew wanted to show us some houses as a practice exercise. We saw a few places and then visited this place at Emu Plains that was owned by a Greenkeeper and his family. It was $59,500 – we thought, ‘cripes, even if we buy it and just keep it for a couple of years we’ll do well.’ Well, we’re still there.
In the meantime my other duties at the Telecommunications Unit was to go out and install Eagle Phones at country Police Stations. The Eagle Phone was a call diversion unit as country police stations, let’s say Bulga for example. If there was an accident on the Putty road for example, and this is in the days prior to mobile phones, someone would call into the Police Station and knock on the door and the station officer, who usually lived on the premises, would then phone Maitland or Singleton and get cars to attend. If the officer was off duty, then he was entitled to claim for three hours overtime minimum just for attending to that knock on the door or for taking a phone call.
They had decided this needed to be stopped, the budget was being blown out by this, and so they decided on installing these call diversion units. On one man Police Stations there would be a unit on the front of the Police Station where you would press the button on the unit, a recorded announcement would ask you to hold while your call was redirected, and the internal workings of the unit would send the call through to Singleton. If they called through it would be switched over to Singleton and then if that office wanted the officer stationed at Bulga they would call through on another line.
I was tasked to install these Eagle Phones and got to visit everywhere. I just wished I’d been more involved in my photography then as I am now – I visited almost every Police Station in NSW and saw some beautiful scenery.
I was then head hunted by the Police Computing section who wanted to set up a new micro-computing group, which is PC’s, they wanted to bring PC’s into the department to so that people could do word processing and other use other programs just being developed for PCs.
I had to become a Public Servant in order to make the change so I resigned as a police officer and became a Grade 6 Public Servant. I believed that my future lay in information technology and computing. I was writing software for different units in the Department including the Police Air Wing and I had a team of Programmers whom I was training to write database software for PCs. The Department put me through a Systems Analyst Course at the same time.
I was then given the task of allocating 260 Wang PCs to different units and stations within the Department. Having been out to the country Police Stations and all these officers banging away on old typewriters, I thought that’s where they should go. The city and surrounds Police Stations already had office workers to help them with their paperwork. Unfortunately police politics raised its ugly head and most of the PCs went to city stations. The poor country coppers had to put up with typewriters for a few years to come. This episode left me pretty disillusioned and disappointed in the way things were going.
About this time I got a phone call from the Kerry Hobbs the CEO of Ashton-Tate, which was the third largest software company in the world at that time. They were the developers of dBase, which was the computer language I programmed in. Apparently they had heard about the database applications I had been developing which was considered cutting edge stuff at the time. They made me an offer to go and work for them, at three times the money I was getting as a Public Servant, to which the simple answer was ‘when do I start?’.
I jumped ship and joined the corporate world – they were out at Epping and then Neutral Bay. I then found out what the corporate life is all about. It was pretty cut throat, nice on the surface, but that was just a veneer. When you work in the Cops you’re working with people that you like and got on well with. There may be some that you didn’t particularly like but that didn’t matter because you knew if you were going into a situation they had your back as surely as you had theirs. You knew you could rely on them. That didn’t work in the corporate world, it was dog eat dog on the way to the top.
I’d been writing software for aviation companies as back in 1972 I learnt to fly and would fly on my days off.
What were you flying?
Light twin engined aircraft, Aerostars, Aero Commanders, Navajos, Partenavias. I flew Islanders down at Wilton doing parachute drops. I had a few interesting experiences there I can tell you!
Where did you learn to fly?
Camden, it cost me $10 an hour in those days. Tony Wright, whom I used to work with on the Highway Patrolo, learnt to fly in Cyprus when over there with the UN. We both came to know people in General Aviation and would fly what they call the ‘Bank Runners’. We would leave Sydney on our days off in nice twin engine aeroplanes and fly up to Tamworth and Armidale, Inverell and Moree, dropping off bags of bank documents and then back to Sydney. I had helped Vic Walton set the up the boatshed and float plane operation at Palm Beach when he first started there. Phil Yates, Ian Chessel and Ian Long flew for him for a while. Vic also had HobieCats there at that stage and I or one of the others would take people out on Pittwater and set them up, give them training in how to sail them.
Around that same time, the mid 1970’s, Vic was in 22 Squadron, which was the RAAF Reserve Squadron based out at Richmond. He talked me into applying to join the RAAF Reserve explaining the great trips and planes you could go on. I joined the Reserves and was commissioned as a Flying Officer in the RAAF on a part time detachment to 22 Squadron.
22 Squadron RAAF 1979
I did three or four Multi-National Exercises, while attached to 22 Squadron. Vic and I were in Operations and would go and man a BOR or Base Operations Room on a base or wherever there were flight ops. I did Operations up in Townsville on one occasion and attached myself to 77 Squadron, which was the Mirage squadron from Williamtown. I was fortunate to chalk up about 20 hours in the Mirage. Flying a Mirage was just unbelievable; we’d go out off Townsville and bust holes through clouds, amazing stuff.
I took part in an exercise, Kangaroo III, in 1979 at Rockhampton with 77 Squadron as an Ops Officer there. This involved tasking the aircraft, briefing the pilots and because I was a pilot you spoke the same language. Sometimes you would go out in little small aircraft, Winjeals, called FAC’s, Forward Air Controllers. These were slow aircraft that could fly low and would spot targets for the Mirages which were so fast they couldn’t actually eyeball a ground target. The FAC would fly along the top of ridges and down into gullies, it was real stomach churning stuff because you were all over the place. You would then call the Mirages in and provide visual references so they could do a hit on the target, which during an exercise might be an old truck or abandoned building.
While at Rockhampton I was assigned as RAAF Flight Operations Co-ordinator aboard the United States Navy USS Tripoli LPH-10. The Americans were involved in this multi-national exercise. I jumped on a CH46, which was like a Chinook but a smaller version, with its rivets hanging out and I thought, ‘geez, this thing could fall out of the sky.’ But we got there. We flew out into the Coral Sea about 30 miles to the USS Tripoli, which was an amphibious assault ship. My duties involved coordinating air operations for the exercise between the RAAF and the US Navy. I made a very good mate while aboard whom I still stay in contact with.
While on the Tripoli I got to ride in a Cobra which is an attack helicopter. They were going to do a strike on Townsend Island, which is in the Military Area at Shoal Bay. It was a bit like a scene out of ‘Apocalypse Now’. You took off and you wore these goggles with crosshairs that were connected to a joystick between your legs. Wherever you put those crosshairs that’s where the 20mm gatling gun would fire. You would come in at about 110 knots, line up the target and watch the tracers, the whole seat and you shaking like anything – that was pretty memorable.
So I’d already been developing software for the Aviation Industry, didn’t enjoy the corporate world especially, and the company had been taken over by another and shed a lot of people, so I went out on my own and began developing and writing my own software.
As well as writing database applications for many different industries I wrote software for Toyota which led to another contact and I ended up in Brisbane writing software for a small insurance company, which became a big insurance company and was recently taken over by Suncorp. I developed and wrote all their software, prior to that, for 17 years.
I’d also always been involved in Photography. When I was a Telegram Boy in Newport riding around, I used to hold up an old 35mm slide holder and look for pleasing compositions. I ran ran up the back of a few parked cars while doing that! I had a box Brownie then.
In 2002 I had a heart attack, then developed Diabetes Type 2 and then I had a hip that needed replacing. After this I went for a trek around the Himalayas with an old mate.
This led me to becoming more involved in Photography. I began entering competitions and won awards in every competition I entered, from regional Photography Exhibitions to winning corporate sponsored competitions such as the Country Energy comp at Oberon a couple of years ago. I’ve sold a lot of my images to corporates overseas and my work has been published in magazines and books both here and overseas. It’s like it’s a whole new career for me. .
What sort of subjects are you choosing?
I started off as most people do photographing Landscapes. Landscapes are a good place to start as they don’t move, they don’t argue. During the last 12 months I’ve been doing a lot of Portrait and Model work. I still do Landscapes as well though.
I’m also involved in the Penrith RSL Photography Club, last year winning both A-Grade trophies for Monochrome and also Colour. But if I don’t just head out on my own I also have photo shooting mates I go out on photo shoots with. Aside from my personal photography which I do for enjoyment, I have been doing more and more commercial photography work.
What are your favourite places in Pittwater and why?
I’d have to say Newport and Newport Beach. Newport Pool has featured in many of my photo shoots – I still go there, it’s a special spot with many memories. Newport Pool is where I learnt to swim too. I was Captain of the Newport Swimming Club in 1966 and was involved in the Learn to Swim Program there, so there would be kids out there now who I taught to swim. If it was a sunny day it was great, if it was a dull day we’d still go down there and start a fire and put some potatoes in, bake them, go surfing – great stuff, wonderful memories. It’s also where Liz and I would meet up, so that makes it a special place too.
The park at Newport where I played rugby for the Newport Rugby Club and nearby, the 1st Newport Scouts. I was a scout there when they built the current scout hall and then transferred to Bayview Sea Scouts after I got my sailing boat.
Newport Rugby Club – The Breakers – circa 1969 – ‘making a playfield’ – courtesy Newport Ruby Club
As a teenager I had a sailing boat, a Heron, and I used to race on Pittwater from BYRA, the yacht club at Bayview. Pittwater was my backyard and it has never lost its appeal for me. But living, growing up and then working in and around Pittwater and the Peninsular was just magic and it will always have a special place in my heart with many fond memories. I still visit often and do photo shoots there… it’s a special place.
I have recently become involved in an annual Pittwater High Reunion group (held first in 2014 at the Newport Arms and subsequently at the RMYC) for those who attended Pittwater High between 1963 (the year it opened) and 1972. Our next reunion will be on 22nd October this year and anyone who attended Pittwater during those years are welcome to come along, no booking necessary and all very informal. But a great opportunity to meet up with old school mates..
I’ve also just recently been elected the Chairman of the Northern Metropolitan Retired Police Association, taking over from Brian Friend OAM. It’s a great way to keep in contact with many of my old Police colleagues.
David being presented with the National Police Service Medal earlier this year.
2016 Northern Metropolitan Retired Police Association Executive : L – R Brian Friend O.A.M. (Vice Chairman), Barry Miles (Welfare), Trevor Swift (Welfare), Dave Whiteman (Chairman), Jim Soiland (Welfare) and Tony Wright (Secretary)
What’s your ‘motto for life or a favourite phrase you try to live by?
My dad said to me, ‘in life you’ll meet a lot of people. You will meet some people who teach you good things and others who will teach you bad things. Listen to the good things and you won’t go far wrong. Forget the rest of it.’
Highway Patrol Charger and Digidar Radar at the Retired Traffic and Highway Patrol Officers Day 2015.
Dave Whiteman has been a keen photographer for over 60 years.
Growing up at Newport Beach, he used to photograph the area with a Box Brownie camera, often while out on his rounds as a Telegram Delivery Boy riding his bike. His passion for photography and particularly seascapes and landscapes has only increased over the years, but it was the advent of Digital Photography that allowed him to explore other genres.
Dave has photographed most of Australia and has traveled to much of the Pacific, South East Asia and India to add to his portfolio. What started as taking portraits of friends and family has led to the rewarding and challenging world of fashion and model photography, often at locations on the Peninsula but also in the Blue Mountains and other stunning locations.
What started as an interest has become a second career for Dave and he now undertakes commissions for corporate photography work including in the transport, aviation and construction industries. He was quite emphatic that he doesn’t do weddings but has shot the occasional engagement or 21st.
Dave has won awards at every photographic competition he has ever entered, including regional shows and exhibitions and corporate sponsored events. Adding to a string of awards in previous years, he won both A-Grade trophies for Monochrome and Colour in 2015 at the Penrith RSL Photographic Club where he is a member. He also runs independent photographic workshops, is a sought after speaker and trainer and has had several successful exhibitions of his work. His images have been published in magazines and books both here and overseas.
Notes
Gretel, as the first ever Australian 12 Metre, was launched on February 19th 1962 at the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron on Sydney Harbour, seven months before the first Americas Cup Race. The boat was christened Gretel nine days later on February 28, 1962, in memory of Sir Frank Packer’s late wife. Mr. Packer was President of the Challenge Association.
Gretel Launch – photo courtesy Old Sailing Blogspot
CHALLENGE YACHT TO SAIL AS GRETEL
SYDNEY, Wednesday.— Australia’s yacht challenger for the America’s Cup was officially named Gretel by Dame Pattie Menzics at the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron to-day. Gretel was named after the late Lady Packer, wife of the Committee Chairman, Sir Frank Packer.
In a moving ceremony Gretel was blessed by R.A.N. Senior Chaplains G. P. Swain (Protestant), and Father G. S. Lake (Catholic). The Governor – General, Lord De L’Isle, and Lady De L’Isle attended the naming ceremony.
In a speech to 250 guests Dame Pattie said, “I name this ship Gretel.
“I commend all those who so faithfully and skillfully constructed her.
“May she uphold Australia’s name overseas or wherever else she may represent.
“May God’s protecting care be over all those who sail in her.”
Dame Pattie made a presentation to the yacht of a clock “so that the crew can note the time the race was won,” and a barometer “to see fair weather always ahead.”
Lord De L’Isle presented a standard ship’s bell on behalf of the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron. Gretel later hoisted sail and cruised for 15 minutes off Kirribilli. CHALLENGE YACHT TO SAIL AS GRETEL (1962, March 1). The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 – 1995), p. 32. Retrieved fromhttp://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article104924879
President and Mrs. Kennedy pictured with Sir Frank Packer (second left), head of the syndicate which built Gretel, the Australian challenger 1 in the forthcoming America’s Cup yacht race, and skipper Alexander (Jock) Sturrock (right), and Emil (Bus) Mosbacher (second from right), skipper of Weatherly, the American yacht, at a reception for America’s Cup crews given by Mr. and Mrs. Hugh D. Auchincloss, at Newport, Rhode Island.PRESIDENT MEETS CREWS (1962, September 15). The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 – 1995), p. 1. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131779725
HEPPLEWHITE, Arthur “John”
Late of Worongary, formerly of Tonga
Passed away peacefully
30 December, 2016
Aged 94
Dearly beloved husband of Yvonne.
Much Loved father of Moana-Gai, Jason and Randall.
Devoted and Loved grandfather “Johnny Boy” to many.
Waiting Beyond the Reef
A Gentle Touch Funerals
07 5522 0099
Published in The Sydney Morning Herald on Jan. 7, 2017 – See more at: http://tributes.smh.com.au/obituaries/smh-au/obituary.aspx?pid=183415315#sthash.3SPrjbYt.dpuf
Edward John O’DONNELL
| 18/01/2017
Edward John O’DONNELL
( late of Oswald St, Guildford )
aka Ted
New South Wales Police Force
Regd. # 5043
Rank: Probationary Constable – appointed 4 February 1946
Email Rx on Friday 6 January 2017 via AustralianPolice.com.au
Hi Cal, going through some papers today and found the attached papers re the funeral of Ted O’Donnell. I then looked and could find no trace on “Australian Police”. So if he’s not there lets get started..
I first met him in June 68 on my arrival at Merrylands as a P/Cst. He was a 2/c Sgt in charge of a relief. He was very knowledgeable, and had no difficulty sharing this with everyone else. He also took a great interest in his team, and had no difficulty in pulling on the bosses as required.
He was a Detective, and I know he was stationed at Parkes and also the Pillage Squad, Newcastle. He married later in life to Barbara, who now resides with daughter Cathryn in Bathurst. He also had a son.
As a Commissioned Officer I think he was at Fairfield, Campbelltown and possibly finished up at Liverpool. He also served in WW2. I think he would have retired about 1984 and continued to live at his family home in Oswald St, Guildford until his death in 2004.
A great old style copper, and those who worked with him were proud to be referred to as “O’Donnell trained”
I am in touch with his wife if you require any further specific info.. Scotty.
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James William Loder ARNDELL
| 18/01/2017
James William Loder ARNDELL
aka BILL
New South Wales Police Force
[alert_yellow]Regd. # 4470[/alert_yellow]
Rank: Probationary Constable – appointed 3 June 1940
Constable – appointed 3 June 1941
Constable 1st Class – appointed 3 June 1947
Senior Constable – appointed 3 June 1954
Sergeant 3rd Class – appointed 22 May 1957
Sergeant 2nd Class – appointed 17 November 1964
Sergeant 1st Class – appointed 6 October 1967
Inspector 3rd Class – appointed 1 March 1973
Inspector 2nd Class – appointed 8 May 1974
Retired 1 March 1976
Stations: Redfern Academy ( Trainee ),
Maroubra GD’s ( 19 August 1940 ),
Darlinghurst GD’s ( 14 October 1940 ),
Darlinghurst Traffic ( 8 September 1941 ),
Darlinghurst Motor Cyclist ( 26 June 1944 ),
Traffic Branch – Public Safety Bureau ( 26 June 1947 ),
Phillip St – Traffic ( 2 September 1957 ),
Darlinghurst – Traffic ( 30 September 1957 ),
Regent St – Assistant Traffic Sgt ( 12 February 1962 ),
Regent St – Traffic Sgt ( 4 July 1966 ),
Traffic Branch – Traffic Supervisor ( 20 July 1967 ),
Traffic Branch – 4th Traffic Inspector ( 16 February 1973,
Vale Inspector 2/C James William Loder ARNDELL #4470
Today we learnt of the passing of ‘Bill’ on 1 January at the Sydney Adventist Hospital, Wahroonga. Bill, a resident of Christophorous House, was the Officer in Charge of the then ‘Traffic Bureau’ until his retirement in 1974.
In 2015 we hosted Bill at our retired officers day, where he met with Commissioner Scipione, Assistant Commissioner Hartley, and chatted with many retired members. In March 2016 we celebrated Bill’s 100th Birthday with his family & residents, and later in the year we presented him with the ‘National Police Service Medal’ marking his years of service to the NSW Police Force, & the community of NSW. We briefly met with Bill at the Sydney Adventist Hospital before his passing. Officers from the Kuring gai LAC also visited bill in celebration of his birthdays.
We take this opportunity to acknowledge his family at their time of loss, and the staff of Christophorous House where he spent his recent years, along with the staff of the Sydney Adventist Hospital.
We are awaiting further advice as to Funeral arrangements.
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Former Traffic Superintendent Bill Flemming with Bill Arndell on Bill’s 100th birthday.
Of course. That was only a little drain though. Behind the shops was the big drain that everyone (us kids) went in, the outlets for which were down near the end of the bowling club. We’d go in there and play. I still remember the little drain in Gretel Park though, and all the duckweed and stuff – how we didn’t die from disease I don’t know.
