Police

[Admin]

I know that there are quite a few members of the police force here in the forums and I just want to say THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.

 

This morning my 6 year old son Lachlan who sufferes from Dyspraxia (a problem between the brain and his mouth causing an inability to communicate properly for his age), disappeared from out the front of our house whilst practising to ride a bike. We had the front door wide open in case we heard anything but after 10 mins when we checked he had disappeared and his bike was left on the footpath.

 

Corrine and I turned frantic, Corrine went out around the block in the car whilst I looked in every nook and cranny of the house but he was no where. I called the police and within 5 mins there were 2 police cars here, 3 more on their way and the police chopper coming over.

 

Neighbors went out looking on foot, on push bikes and in cars and I got to admit trying to calm Corrine down I shed a tear.

 

An hour later the police found him about 1 klm away walking down the street. They stopped but he then ran and they couldn't catch him. Another police car got on the other side of him and stopped him. The police woman that was here trying to keep us calm got a call on the radio that they found him and needed one of us to go there as he was very frightened.

 

I went down and got him.

 

If it wasn't for the police and their saturation we may never have found him.

 

 

[slartibartfast]

Wow Ian. What a nightmare! I'm so glad that ended well.

 

Well done again the people in blue.

 

 

[Guest disperse]

My worst fear Ian. Thank God for a relieving end.

 

 

[Phildo]

Giday Ian,

 

My heart goes out to you and Corrine for what is a heart stopping moment. As disperse stated, a worst fear. Your son can be assured of a good life with such caring parents.

 

Police a regularly called on for missing persons, I would say in my area in Brisbane at least a few times a week. Quite often its situations just like yours with a child who has difficulties. I assure you we take EVERY call very seriously and drop everything to go that job (does poor Daniel Morecomb ring a bell, god I really feel for the parents). Hence, people get upset with us when we cant make it to the next job quickly. You just let them vent about 'waste of taxpayers money' and 'public servant - when are you going to serve me?' comments you get and get on with it.

 

My Inspector has called me to grill me about a missing person investigation many a time - rightly so.

 

Good on ya Ian, a few kind words goes a long way. Perhaps you could write a letter of thankyou to the OIC of the local station (drop a connies name or too!!!)? I know you've heard me rant a few times before about the coppers in other posts, now you know why I think they're exceptional people (mostly!!;)) and why I'm proud to be one dispite the critics (a thick skin helps). My baby boy died recently, my brothers-in-arms were there in droves... not just because I'm a cop but because they cared.

 

Again,

 

I hope Lachlan is safe and happy and I wish him the greatest future ...

 

Phil

 

Brissie.

 

 

[Guest palexxxx]

We aim to please :big_grin::big_grin:

 

I'm stationed at Bendigo D24 (radio despatch for those interstaters). Last night I had a call from a woman who had an argument with her 10 year old son whilst driving in the country. The boy demanded she stop and let him out. She foolishly did this and the boy got out. She drove away but returned two minutes later and couldn't find him. She drove home and rang me on 000. Within minutes I had three police cars converging to where she'd let him out. I'm happy to report that he was located within 15 minutes, another happy ending.

 

Unfortunately I have had other occasions when it hasn't ended so happily. Especially in the Goulburn Valley area (Shepparton) where I have had missing kids end up in irrigation channels.

 

Anyway, very glad that your event ended happily with your son safe and well.

 

Peter.

 

 

[planedriver]

Fantastic result Ian, despite the heartwrenching time you and Corrine would have gone through.

 

Thank you Phil and PaleXXX for your kind words.

 

Despite the fact that I am now of pension age, i'm still very proud to say that i'm the son of a policeman, and rightly so.

 

Keep up the good work.:thumb_up::thumb_up::thumb_up::thumb_up:

 

Kind Regards

 

Alan

 

 

[Admin]

Thanks Guys!

 

I would have to say it was the most frightening hour+ of my wife and my lives. We live about 150 yards from a train line that isn't fenced off but it wasn't things like this that scared us the most but he is such a cute kid that he could have been picked up by an undesirable whilst walking along in a frightened way.

 

 

It completely wrecked us for the entire day - on one hand you want to cuddle him yet on the other you want to really pay out on him for not listening to you.

 

I would not wish that time on anyone, no matter what - the cops knew what they were doing - the policewoman was inside trying to keep us calm, one was checking every part of the house, one was out the front directing neighbours and other cops what to do.

 

My daughter who also suffers Dyspraxia was at her special course learning to communicate for children with disabilities and was oblivious from it all and Lachlan was mostly scared that Caitlin would be mad with him when she got home

 

Last night when we tucked him up in bed he said "Mummy Daddy, I no do agen" we both just

 

 

[Phildo]

HA! I no do agen!!!

 

What a lovely story to tell him when he has his own children.

 

Nice photo mate.

 

Phil

 

 

[BLA82]

Great to here Ian,

 

I am a firm believer that the boys in Blue don't get the credit thet deserve. We occasionally have a wine ecpecially when we get those nice photos in the mail but when we need help they are the first ppl we all call.

 

Cheers guys and thanks for putting your lives on the line to preserve ours!!!!

 

 

[Guest Bendorn]

:thumb_up: Ian.

 

 

[Guest Cloudsuck]

G'day Ian, thanks for your post in support of police. I also am also a police officer in Queensland and it is very rare that anyone ever broadcasts a message like yours. Most good people only ever come into contact with police when they receive a traffic ticket and they are angry. Truth is that issuing traffic tickets is a very small part of our job. Most of the time we are helping people deal with situations just like yours.

 

It is a job that no one else wants to do but everyone has an opinion about how to do it. It becomes very frustrating for me when I have just worked nine days straight and I rock up at the flying club, only to have the usual clowns (they are all good guys) carry on about coppers, speeding tickets and half price maccas etc. It wears a bit thin sometimes. I just want to fly.

 

In my mind, I'm not a copper, I'm a pilot. Being a copper is just what I do so I can pay for the AVGAS.

 

Thanks again, I'm so glad your son is safe.

 

P.S. Great looking family, I can see why you are so proud.

 

 

[Guest TOSGcentral]

I believe it apt that I add my own comments to those given above.

 

Periodically I work closely with the police and yesterday was no exception.

 

The police handling of a fatal crash site was beyond fault (other than perhaps the time required to be taken for procedures).

 

From the local cop, to the guys from Ipswich (in particular a uniformed inspector who handled the media superbly, while finding time to calm people in shock and answer a seemingly never ending flow of phone calls on other matters), to the forensic squad and the police investigators seconded to the Coroner - all were calm, helpful, ultra sympathetic yet totally efficient in their duties.

 

Possibly a point of significance was that we did not finish until after dark and there were few of us left. Yet the Inspector and his investigating Senior Sergeant cheerfully worked with us manhandling my large trailer and large wing span wreck (that we ultimately could not get the wings off) into a small hangar. Bloody marvellous!

 

Equally I should note that the local ambulance paramedics, the volunteer SES and the volunteer local Fire Brigade did all of their tasks superbly like well oiled machines. We are a very small rural community and this situation had paralysed most of the local resources for six hours - so the guys (and gals) also had their own tension over other events happening that they could not be at.

 

It is a tribute to our community that such people exist, are trained so well, and while doing their job so well - do it with such considerable humanity.

 

It is also an indictment on our community that some of us, in our grief or anger or from just plain bloody mindedness - give such people so hard a time!

 

They are bloody awesome and damn we should be so grateful!

 

 

[Guest Cloudsuck]

G'day Tony, makes the job even harder when one of the persons involved in the crash, Shane, was one of our own. As well as being a mad keen aviator, he was a civillian Technical Officer with the Queensland Police Service.

 

I was at Watts Bridge this year for both days. I hope next year is even bigger in their memory.