Former local cop honoured for inner city work

An ex-Masterton police officer has been named on the Queen's Birthday honour list as a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to the New Zealand police and the community.

Senior Sergeant Gordon John Spite was the officer in charge of the Christchurch Central Beat Section from 2007 to 2012.

He began his police career in Wairarapa about 25 years ago and moved south in 1988.

"I started in the Wairarapa and lived there for a number of years," Mr Spite said.

The award recognises his work achieving a reduction in inner-city violence and crime, including a 16 per cent decrease in serious assaults, aided by his successful lobbying for a central city liquor ban among other initiatives.

Following the 2010 earthquake he helped direct the efforts of the Urban Search and Rescue Engineering teams, and after the 2011 earthquake he co-ordinated the evacuation of the North Eastern area of the CBD.

Mr Spite said he the award took him by surprise.

"To be perfectly honest I was completely blown away that anyone would think enough of me to nominate me for it.

"I never really considered that I'd done anything particularly remarkable."

He said it was the little things about his job that motivated him.

"It's not about wanting to change the world but it's really good to see people benefiting from maybe something I've done.

"All I've tried to do is my best and I guess all I've tried to do in policing is to try and walk a mile in another man's shoes."

Mr Spite now runs liquor licensing and team policing in Christchurch.