October 1999 Volume 80 Number 10 "serving the protectors"
The Last Shift

Dear Peter

I am forwarding this letter to advise you of my resignation from the Police Association due to my ill health, resignation from SAPOL effective from 25 August, 1999.

I thank all those I worked with over my years with SAPOL and wish every one all the best in the future.

Kind regards
D G Mahomed
Senior Police Aide
Port Augusta

Secretary

Please cancel my subscriptions to the Police Association due to my resignation as of August 25, 1999.

Yours sincerely
L J Schubert
Constable 5348/4

Dear Peter

I wish to tender my resignation from the Police Association owing to my resignation from SAPOL effective 8.9.99. I am leaving to take up a position within Australian Posts’ Corporate Security Group and hopefully greener pastures.

Through the medium of the journal I thank all the people I have been associated with in my 13 years in the service. I have made some great mates and hope to stay in touch with them. It is with some sadness that I leave at this time as I really have enjoyed most of my time with SAPOL. Having just had my head shaved for Bluey Day and having had the chance to meet interstate and overseas police, I know that I am going to miss that camaraderie which is unique among law enforcement.

I am not going to put down the current climate within SAPOL but I certainly wish everyone the best for the future. I believe that the change to the LSA concept is a great idea but it can not be sustained with the current staff shortages. Unfortunately I can not see in the next three to four years that this is going to change any. I really feel like the rat deserting the sinking ship in that respect.

Coppers being coppers, the system will work even though it is to the detriment of the customer service and ultimately the health of those that are drastically overworked.

Lastly I thank the Police Association for its tireless devotion to obtaining better pay and conditions for its members and I hope that it will continue to battle against oppression for the betterment of the department.

Ian Jennings
Constable 1626/1
Elizabeth LSA Investigations

Dear Peter

Please accept my resignation from PASA due to my resignation from SAPOL.

My last day of service being Wednesday, 8 September, 1999.

After 10 years of service I am leaving SAPOL to follow my dream of travelling the world.

I can only say farewell and hope that you are all as fortunate as I am in being able to realize a dream.

Regards
Andy Wibrow
Senior Constable 1132/9
Adelaide Prosecution

Dear Andy

Please accept my resignation from the Police Association of SA due to my retirement, my last day of service with SAPOL being 9 September, 1999.

After 39 years and four months my police “use-by” date has arrived and I leave with many wonderful memories of the good old days. It has been a most rewarding experience and journey.

I thank all of my colleagues, both serving and retired, who I have had the pleasure of working with over these years for their comradeship during my service.

May I extend my best wishes for the future to yourself and members of the executive.

Yours sincerely
Frank Rillotta
Sergeant 13/2
Norwood

Dear Sir

I hereby tender my resignation from the Police Association, effective 10.9.99 as this will be my last day of service.

I am retiring on the grounds of invalidity and thank the association for its support in what has been a far from easy situation.

I should also like to express my gratitude to Dawn Lunn and Trevor Haskell of Welfare Branch for their advice, sound counsel and patience; to say they are “just doing their job” is an enormous understatement.

It is common enough for people leaving the job to use these letters to vent their spleen and in many ways that is natural and to be expected.

It is perhaps unfortunate that the concerns of members can not be expressed as openly and without fear of repercussions during their service. Sadly, it is often the case that the system tends to view observations as criticisms and the possibility of alternative view points as subversive and indicative of a “bad attitude”. It would be a crime if this state of affairs became a statutory reality as well as a cultural one.

The association deserves the support of every member and of the broader community in their fight against the blinkered and dangerous changes to the Police Regulations; changes that are sadly indicative of the intellectual bankruptcy and obsession with monolithic bureaucracy that is the hallmark of most departmental thinking.

That is not to say that change is not necessary, clinging to “the good old days”, while comfortable, is not a sustainable position and ultimately self destructive.

It is hard to escape the feeling that the implementation of much recent change is little more than window dressing, spawning new internal power struggles and furthering the negative attributes of police culture (paranoia (the “arse covering” fixation), cliques and “sponsors etc.).

The trend of institutionalized procrastination and the unthinking adoption of politically expedient philosophical, operational and managerial standpoints has been a proven recipe for a decline in morale and loss of direction.

The convening of endless committees, study groups and would-be “think tanks” is a poor substitute for leadership and a convenient means of avoiding the ultimate responsibility of management, decision making and with it the desire and moral courage to take responsibility.

Yours sincerely
J Wilkes

Dear Andy/Peter

I wish to tender my resignation from the Police Association of South Australia, also as the workplace delegate for the Offender History Unit, as a result of my resignation from the South Australia Police Department effective 13 September, 1999. I am well aware of the difficulties and frustrations the Association representatives go through, having been a delegate in various locations for about 15 years. In my opinion, the current structure and leadership is the best the Association has ever had. It has demonstrated that success can be achieved in pursuing issues with a united, well informed and professional approach. In these days where worker representative groups are under direct attack, the Association is a valuable asset for any police officer - all officers should be members.

Since joining the job in 1966 I have worked with and met many dedicated police officers throughout the State, nationally and overseas. It does not matter what beat a police officer treads, the bond between police is unique and transcends all boundaries. I have been privileged to be a part of this culture during my 30 years’ service. The job has taken me through a roller coaster of highs and lows, however, I am sure I would not have done anything different and I am proud to leave with my credibility intact.

I will be joining my brother in an aquaculture venture, farming oysters at Smoky Bay, located between Streaky Bay and Ceduna on the west coast of South Australia. I wish all my fellow workers the very best for the future.

Regards
Mark Sexton
Records Response

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