Top - cop retires
For Rob Robinson, life is pretty good right now. After retiring at Christmas time from the top job, he has had the opportunity to take some extended leave, sit back and just smell the roses or the fish in this case.
The former police commissioner has managed to spend Christmas last year and New Years with his family on a well-deserved break prior to catching up with friends and fellow fishermen at the Whakatäne Sport Fishing Club.
He's now a regular crewman on board 'Silver Lining' but has been relegated to third mate; quite a change from the top seat he is used to occupying. "Just so I don't get ideas above my station according to my so-called mates", he says.
In March Rob travelled to the Far North with the intention of getting some big Snapper and Marlin, something he has been dreaming about for a while. He won't say exactly where they go to catch the big fish and this is no doubt a closely guarded secret.
Rob has been entertaining himself with more than just fishing. He has been taking up the slack in the domestic chore front and checking out the one-day cricket internationals, plus spending some 'magical' time with his grandson William (aka Wiremu). Rob says it's a thrill to actually spend time with his grand children and finally prioritise family.
"I think it's priceless as my own children missed out on so much during my early police career, something all cops identify with".
He has also discovered blisters, weary muscles and aching shoulder, not from taking on the bad guys but from wood chopping. "Now that four months have passed I have come to realise that it will take a while longer to get a new perspective on policing where I am just another citizen".
Rob's favourite job while policing was Region Commander. "This was the best job I ever had, I felt like I had fallen on my feet". Based in Rotorua, and with the spread of districts from the Bombay Hills in the north to Pio Pio in the west and Wairoa in the east, he says it was an interesting patch.
Rob was able to get involved in operational matters or monitor the district commander's actions when that suited. He had a quality bunch of experienced commanders that made his job pretty easy. He even got to fly to the Capital once a month for this "two-penny worth" on policy and strategic issues.
Rob remembers many occasions as highlights in his varied and interesting career. He felt proud to be at the helm of the organisation as it matured into an effective international police agency. Rob believes the organisation has come of age in international policing terms.
He acknowledges the following proud moments:
Being part of a group of NCOs (Non-commissioned officers) that brought 24 hour NCO supervision to the Wairarapa at a time when the ethnic gangs were strong and staff camaraderie needed to be stronger. "We all looked out for each other and never took a step backwards when it came to enforcing the law".
There were two cars on night shift and one of those cars simply patrolled the homes of the on and off-duty officers for fear of threat or action, Rob says.
Rob also felt privileged to be part of the police executive over the last six years which enabled him to focus on operations and crime.
As Deputy Commissioner he remembers the elation when he received a call in the early hours of the morning to tell him that all New Zealand Police Officers were safely in the air out of Dili, East Timor after some pretty hairy experiences both in the lead up and immediately after the referendum on Self Determination in 1999.
He has since fretted about staff in Bougainville, the Solomons and Afghanistan and remains thankful that they all came home safely on his watch.
He also remembers with great sadness the catastrophic memories of 9/11 and the Boxing Day Tsunami. "On September 11th 2001 I was on duty in London, and I was trying to get an early passage out of Heathrow as we never knew what the next phase of the attack might have been ....the New Zealand police response which was mounted in my absence was also a credit to our service".
The Tsunami three years later brought a whole new set of challenges and again the New Zealand Police distinguished themselves individually and collectively in responding to those, he says. He cites Bougainville, Solomon Islands and East Timor operations, then Afghanistan and the Tsunami response in Phuket as being unforgettable. "In all of these operations New Zealand police staff have distinguished themselves and as Commissioner I received many accolades on behalf of those staff from international peers".
Rob admits to some very sad moments in his career too, namely the death of fellow officers. He cites the deaths of Murray Stretch at Mangakino, Duncan Taylor at Rongotea, Piripi Wipatene at Oakura and Travis Hughes and Chris Scott in the Gibbston Valley."All had a serious impact on me personally...to each of their families, police owe a debt of gratitude for allowing such a wonderful folk to work alongside us".
But there weren't all bad times during his command. His more memorable and fun escapades occurred while policing in his younger days. He recalls taking an old Bedford CF van on rural patrol which involved touring the small towns of the Manawatü, Horowhenua and North Wairarapa on night shift. His patrol ended up back in Palmerston North but took a short cut through a new industrial sub-division to keep out of the Sergeant's way only to get bogged. After an hour of digging in the mud, in their underpants in the middle of the winter, they decided to call in with their plight and order a tow-truck before the early shift arrived. Both Rob and his All Black patrol partner played awful rugby games the next day due to the unnecessary exertion while on night shift. A lesson well learned perhaps.
Of course the usual rotten fruit and vegetable bombardment never went astray while on the beat over nightshift. Then there were the running battles between beat staff and I car crews. They all knew the strategic point on their beats so that they could either barrage passing patrols from the rooftops or smear rotten pumpkin over windscreens.
"Those were simpler times and in those days we did have the luxury of time to get up to some pranks. Things have certainly changed although I anticipate a few pranks still occur on the street in the occasional moment", he says.
Rob believes if he has his time again, he would still join the police. "It is a great job and one that attracts great people. Not only will you get more life experience in the first five years than a platoon of people acquire in their life, you will always have a healthy perspective and an edge on most other people as you travel your own life path".
He says it is with regret that he never underwent CIB training and chose rank instead, but claims that this is one of the great things about the job. "Once you have gained entry into the profession of policing, your future is in your hands. You choose whether you want rank or not, whether you want to move about the country and what roles you fulfill".
Despite being an IPA member for 25 years he and his wife don't anticipate travelling any time soon because he believes he has been very fortunate in the last twelve years of his service having to travel internationally quite extensively.
He does admit to having a wealth of friends and police colleagues worldwide as a consequence of these travels and anticipates a return at a more leisurely time.
"I am sure when the weather turns cold we will be tempted to get on the phone and conjure up some travel plans - and perhaps now is the time to explore that facet", he says.
Police Commissioner Rob Robinson shortly before retirement