Associate Transport Minister Kiri Allan and Detective Senior Sergeant John Wilson.
Ask Detective Senior Sergeant John Wilson why he’s stuck around helping and leading Rotorua police’s Search and Rescue squads for more than 20 years and his answer is simple.
“I like it.”
But there’s a bit more to his answer.
“You get to make a difference and, every now and then, save someone.”
And it’s for those reasons Wilson has just received a national award for his commitment and service to Search and Rescue over 23 years.
Wilson was one of three people to receive a New Zealand Search and Rescue Certificate of Achievement for Support Activity at the New Zealand Search and Rescue Awards on Tuesday night in Wellington.
Wilson’s award, presented by Associate Transport Minister Kiri Allan, was for his commitment and service to Search and Rescue.
Wilson, who is a long-time member of the New Zealand Police based in Rotorua, is also involved with WanderSearch Rotorua and Land Search and Rescue Rotorua.
The awards are presented annually in recognition of outstanding achievements within New Zealand’s search and rescue region, which covers 30 million square kilometres. Individuals, as well as specific rescue operations, are acknowledged.
The awards booklet said Wilson had proactively improved the region’s search and rescue capabilities by supporting individuals and teams as well as bringing in specialised equipment and resources.
He was instrumental in establishing water rescue squads in Rotorua in 2005 and 2009 with the aim of increasing efficiency in helicopter rescues over water, where every minute counted, the booklet said.
In 2008, after a difficult Search and Rescue operation, Wilson introduced the WanderSearch technology to the region, enabling people with cognitive impairments to be found more rapidly.
He founded the Rotorua WanderSearch Charitable Trust and continues to serve on its board.
Wilson worked as the Rotorua police search and rescue co-ordinator until 2016, but has since been seconded back to the role for periods of up to nine months when incumbents were out of the area.
In addition, he has spent time as chairman and deputy chairman of Rotorua LandSAR, mentoring upcoming generations of Search and Rescue professionals.
The booklet said he was responsible for the 2022 district Search and Rescue exercise being hosted by Tūhoe at the culturally and historically significant location of Maunagapōhatu in Te Urewera. This led to several Ruatāhuna residents expressing an interest in joining LandSAR.
The booklet said Wilson was held in high regard across the region for his passion, drive and commitment to Search and Rescue.
Wilson told the Rotorua Daily Post he became involved after being stationed at Murupara - an area surrounded by open spaces and forestry.
It was his opinion that the local squads were among the best groups in New Zealand.
One of his career highlights has been seeing his daughter, Detective Constable Kennedy Wilson, follow in his footsteps.
“She wanted to become involved in SAR from a young age, then joined the police, joined the CIB and has now joined Search and Rescue.”
Over the years, there’ve been dozens of hunters, fishermen, hikers, elderly people and children who have been found under Wilson’s watch, and as a result of the callouts, Wilson’s missed plenty of birthdays, anniversaries and family occasions.
But the one he wishes he could have solved was the mysterious disappearance of Kelly Fitzgerald, who went missing in Tikitapu (Blue Lake) in 2009.
A coroner declared her legally dead, but an extensive search of the lake and the surrounding areas failed to find her body.
It has remained “unfinished business” for Wilson ever since.
While Wilson reckons he has officially retired from the squads, his involvement remains, with him playing the role of a “giver of sage advice when required”.
He also chips in with organising the annual Rotorua area Search and Rescue exercise and still helps to organise some of the training for LandSAR. He’s also still the LandSAR deputy chairman.
His current role within the police is as the officer in charge of the child protection and adult sexual abuse squads for the Bay of Plenty police district.
The other aircraft took longer to vacate the runway than anticipated.