A man of tremendous achievements John Wayne Powell Police officer Born: Terowie on February 1, 1950 Died: Adelaide on June 23, 2004

To most under his command, the image of John Powell probably matched the caricature of a gruff, old-fashioned sergeant of the 1950s. As one of the true hard men of policing, he suffered fools poorly and demanded much of the officers at whom he barked his orders.

His subordinates might have bristled at his style, but all knew he was strait-laced, and none ever harboured a doubt about what he expected.

Naturally, some earned his wrath for their mistakes. But, if an officer’s alleged error drew a complaint – from any quarter – Snr Sgt Powell was equally vehement in his or her defence.

So, while he expected much, he reciprocated with loyalty to those he led – and SAPOL. Snr Sgt Powell believed police work, which he loved, had given him career opportunities he might not otherwise have had.

Sadly, however, he was not able to bow out of policing at a time of his own choosing. Snr Sgt Powell died in hospital on June 23, after a knee operation. He was 54, and had served the police force for 38 years.

His family, friends and colleagues paid their final respects to him in a non-religious service at St Michael’s Church Hall, Hahndorf, on June 29.

One moving eulogy came from Hills Murray LSA boss, Supt Tom Rieniets, and another from Snr Sgt Powell’s former Transit Services Branch OC, Chief Supt Fred Trueman.

Supt Rieniets spoke of Snr Sgt Powell as a “what-you-see-is-what-you-get” person. “There was no pretension,” he said. “I would describe him as a man’s man: someone who called a spade a shovel and could be relied upon in any crisis.

“His 38 years (in SAPOL) must be viewed as a journey full of enthusiasm, motivation and challenges”.

Supt Trueman revealed something of the sensitivity which had lain beneath the surface of Snr Sgt Powell’s hard-as-nails exterior. “John cared about people, but he wouldn’t publicly articulate or express it,” he said after the service.

“If someone was crook, or some tragedy befell them, John would say: ‘Go home, have all the time you want, and don’t worry about anything’. He didn’t like people being unfairly dealt with.”

Born in Terowie, Snr Sgt Powell moved to metropolitan Adelaide as a child with his mother after his father died. After his schooling, at Norwood Primary and Elizabeth High, he joined SAPOL as a 16-year-old in 1966.

After stints in the City Watch House and Task Force, he joined the CIB in 1975. For the next 11 years, he would serve with Hindmarsh, Elizabeth and Holden Hill CIBs, until a move to Fort Largs took in him into the recruit training field.

In 1987, former assistant commissioner, John Lockhead, sent then Senior Constable Powell to the State Transport Authority to manage a band of special constables who policed public rail transport.

His role was to create a smooth-running, police-like operation with strong skills and discipline. But the then snr const had to undertake the job against a background of simmering tension, as some among the rail industry opposed SAPOL’s input.

And, after a later rail strike, authorities added transit officers to the mix of special constables and police. Snr Sgt Powell worked in the recruitment of the transit officers and set up a team system.

By 1994, SAPOL had achieved its wish to bring the unit entirely under its control. The special constables and transit officers either joined SAPOL or faced redeployment within the STA.

“We very quickly moved to the current policing model,” said Supt Trueman, the then Transit Policing Services inspector. “I was dealing with the politics of it, but the operational leadership was John Powell.

“He had developed a good skill base and had a clear view of the policing needs of the public transport system.

“For me, the legacy was that he had a policing model working for the transit system. I think his were tremendous achievements.”

Snr Sgt Powell attained his rank while at Transit Services Branch, from where he transferred to his last posts, Murray Bridge, in 2000, and Mt Barker, in 2001.

Away from police work, he was a passionate supporter and member of the Norwood Football Club, and had years earlier played A-grade squash for Salisbury Squash Club.

His Blakiston property, which he bought three years ago with his partner, Natasha Mallen, had become another of his great passions. He had come to love gardening and looked happily toward retiring to the property within a few years.

Snr Sgt Powell was buried in the Blakiston Cemetery. He is survived by his partner, Natasha, and their seven-year-old daughter Laura, and his daughters Kim, 33, and Amanda, 27.

– Brett Williams