Ohakune constable to take up new appointment in Wellington

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 9, 31 July 1984, Page 3

Ohakune constable to take up new

appointment in Wellington

Ohakune Constable Marty Sutherland says goodbye to the district next month after three years work here. Constable Sutherland is setting up a new community Police office in the Wellington suburb of Karori, and has set a tentative date for leaving Ohakune of 20 August. Constable Sutherland and his wife, Lynne, hope to settle in Wellington in time for two of their three children to start the third term's schooling there. The close knit communities of Ohakune and Raetihi have given the family fond memories of the area to take south with them. Constable Sutherland has been stationed in Ohakune for the past 16 months after transferring from Raetihi where he spent 18 months.

While in the Waimarino he has been involved in more than the run-of-the-mill Police work. In 1982 he organised the search for a helicopter which crashed on the mountain with a loss of five lives, and the recovery of the bodies. He has also helped coordinate three armed offenders squad callouts. Some excitement he could have done without occurred last year when in three separate incidents the Police Station, house, and garage were firebombed. However, it is the day-to-day problems which prompt Constable Sutherland to leave a parting thought. It's very difficult to have any sympathy for people who leave their skis on the roof of their car, then report them stolen, he says. "People just won't learn."