Career move for Takaka’s long-time police sergeant
Lynley and Arthur Clarence were thanked at a function organised by the Golden Bay Community Workers on Tuesday. Manager Sheryl Nalder made a presentation. Photo: Neil Wilson.
Golden Bay’s newest moteliers say they are starting to get their heads around the big change in their lives.
After 21 years’ service as a policeman in Takaka, ex-sergeant Arthur Clarence has “moved on in a nice way” and is now getting to grips with being self-employed and working with wife Lynley at the Anatoki Lodge motel. This also involves seeing himself in a new way.
“You do define yourself in terms of your job. And others look at you that way too. It’s been different doing all the little things that the hospitality industry requires. It’s even been different not being in uniform.”
The Clarences came to Golden Bay in 1990. Arthur had been in the police force in Timaru and before that was in the army. They had three children when they arrived, then ranging in age from seven months to three years. The tied police house behind the station in Commercial Street became their home until their recent change, which has seen them shift house too, if only down the road a bit.
When Arthur started here, he was the only policeman in the district.
“I never saw another policeman for the first six weeks I was here. It was quite a shock to be basically on call the whole time. I had radio communication if I was on Commercial Street, but other than that I was on my own. Lynley did a huge amount of work – it was nothing for her to fill two foolscap pages of messages a day while I was out working.”
“And I wouldn’t have had it any other way,” added Lynley.
Arthur says that people’s perceptions of police work in Golden Bay have often been inaccurate.
“I’ve had people from over the Hill, policemen and others, saying what a great lifestyle we must have over here. I never had a school holiday with my kids; I was always working. When the holidaymakers are here enjoying the beach and so on, we’re working. You might get to Totaranui in the season – if someone gets lost or if there’s some kind of trouble, that’s all.
“The other thing is that some people seem to think that nothing like crime or other police work ever happens here. That certainly wasn’t true in the 90s and it’s not true now either. At one time the then Ministry of Transport decided to base an on officer here mostly because of the disproportionate number of alcohol-related injury accidents that were taking up too many beds in the Nelson Hospital. During the 90s there was a culture of lawlessness in some parts of the Bay, and there has always been a bit of an underbelly, no matter how peaceful the place may seem on the surface. Way more happens than people know about.”
These days it’s common for the Takaka police to run 400 lost and found files a year, says Arthur. The growing problem may be related to the increase in the number of loseable items like phones and MP3 players that travellers carry.
“Our guys here go the extra mile to find owners and get their stuff back to them. It’s really impressive when they can be absolutely inundated with that work, crime and other Police work as well.”
Arthur is full of praise for his recent colleagues for their commitment and service to the community.
“All the guys here do a great job. They’re among the most successful officers in the district at getting drink-drivers off the road. No one likes nasty road accidents. Once upon a time 40 percent of road fatalities were alcohol-related. Now, through good policing among other things, we’ve got that figure down. We know that writing tickets changes behaviour and lowers the road toll. People need to realise that the police want to live here too. They want the community to be good and safe.”
Lynley and Arthur both paid tribute to the amount of support they had received from the community.
“We’d never have managed as well unless we had good friends who understood,” said Lynley. “Sometimes Arthur would be called out five or six times a night – on one Christmas Eve I remember. Some friends just came round the next day and gathered up our kids and took them away for the day.”
“This community gets great service from its volunteers, too,” said Arthur. “The Search and Rescue people, fire-fighters, victim support people and ambulance officers do an amazing job.”
So, will the Clarences be enjoying their lifestyle watching cop shows on television?
“They’re bull,” retorts Arthur. “The TV detectives never do any paperwork!”
Neil Wilson
Arthur’s position with the Takaka police has been advertised and applications have closed but an appointment is yet to be made.
