Senior Constable David Ratapu finished his final shift in a long police career in Kaitaia yesterday. It wasn't the first time he had left the force - he resigned in 1988, to travel overseas, returning two years later - but this time it was for good.
He arrived at the Royal New Zealand Police College in Trentham as a brand new recruit on January 15, 1979, and was initially posted to Auckland Central, during which time he was involved in mortuary duties after the Erebus plane crash. From there he moved to Wellington (1981), to Porirua in 1982, back to Auckland Central in 1985, and Newmarket (1986).
He resumed his career in Taumarunui in 1990, then moved to the first of three sole charge positions, at Ohura, in the King Country, in 1992. Four years later he transferred to Russell, then in 2000 to Kohukohu, and finally to Kaitaia in 2007.
Senior Constable Ratapu, or Rats as he is universally known, was farewelled into retirement at a function in Kaitaia on Friday night, but is expected to continue to be involved with the town's Building Safer Communities (formerly Total Security Management) initiative.
