Beloved sergeant calls it a day

ReTIRING Te Kūiti police Sergeant Craig Lindstrom has picked up a range of nicknames over the years, not all of them flattering.

Watchhouse officer Karen Fitzwater reeled some of them off at his recent farewell, including “Lindstrom”, “Linda”, “Bolt”, “Herman” (short for Herman Munster), “The Sarg”, or simply, “He” – as in – is He here?

“People used these names for Craig when they came in to speak with him and only him,” Karen said.

“At least my lying days are over, telling people you weren’t here and then hoping like hell you didn’t pop your head around the corner.”

Karen recalled that for 29 years she had been: “the watchdog/watchhouse officer at the entranceway, to try to stop some of the BS and lighten the load.

“It makes you feel old when some of the new guys arriving to work are younger than the number of years we have been at the police station.

“It often felt like we were mum and dad, trying to herd the kids who turned up – bright and sparkling new – to take on the world.

“How lucky we were to have
them.

“I had to warn newbies not to believe everything you say; decipher your handwriting and water down the pranks – the make-believe tickets/summonses/FWS and job sheets you told them they had to do.

“And then the search and rescue – looking for radio, notebook, keys, wallet, files, print-card and more recently, the glasses that you put down and can’t find.

“How am I going to fill my time in now; might have to drop back to part time.

“Sometimes when the job is hard, no staff, full moon and everyone and everything going ballistic, and even the good people in town are complaining about police, I wonder what the hell I am doing, not sure which way is up and why I even came to work.

“There you are with your calming manner, knowledge and compassion, so things work out and we get through the day.

“Then we have a beer – so all is good in my world again.

“You are the best people-person I know and the most respected, you always go out of your way to help anyone, and you bring out the best in everyone.

“It has been an absolute privilege working with you.”

Watchhouse officer Karen Fitzwater reeled some of them off at his recent farewell, including “Lindstrom”, “Linda”, “Bolt”, “Herman” (short for Herman Munster), “The Sarg”, or simply, “He” – as in – is He here?

“People used these names for Craig when they came in to speak with him and only him,” Karen said.

“At least my lying days are over, telling people you weren’t here and then hoping like hell you didn’t pop your head around the corner.”

Karen recalled that for 29 years she had been: “the watchdog/watchhouse officer at the entranceway, to try to stop some of the BS and lighten the load.

“It makes you feel old when some of the new guys arriving to work are younger than the number of years we have been at the police station.

“It often felt like we were mum and dad, trying to herd the kids who turned up – bright and sparkling new – to take on the world.

“How lucky we were to have

them.

“I had to warn newbies not to believe everything you say; decipher your handwriting and water down the pranks – the make-believe tickets/summonses/FWS and job sheets you told them they had to do.

“And then the search and rescue – looking for radio, notebook, keys, wallet, files, print-card and more recently, the glasses that you put down and can’t find.

“How am I going to fill my time in now; might have to drop back to part time.

“Sometimes when the job is hard, no staff, full moon and everyone and everything going ballistic, and even the good people in town are complaining about police, I wonder what the hell I am doing, not sure which way is up and why I even came to work.

“There you are with your calming manner, knowledge and compassion, so things work out and we get through the day.

“Then we have a beer – so all is good in my world again.

“You are the best people-person I know and the most respected, you always go out of your way to help anyone, and you bring out the best in everyone.

“It has been an absolute privilege working with you.”