Top honour for dedicated cop battling incurable cancer

A West Auckland cop diagnosed with incurable cancer has ticked another item off her bucket list - officially becoming a detective, passing her final tests at the top of the national table.

Sarah Cato's hard work was recognised at a graduation dinner on Thursday night where she was awarded her gold badge and formally inducted in the police Criminal Investigation Branch.

Three-and-a-half years ago Cato, then 31, found a lump in her left breast and tests confirmed it was cancer.

She had just started her training as a detective but had to put her career development on hold as she underwent intensive treatment.

The mother-of-one underwent a mastectomy, but a scan later showed the cancer had spread - travelling through her lymph nodes and blood into her bones.

Sarah Cato has just qualified as a detective. Photo / Michael Craig

Cato was then diagnosed with metastatic - also known as secondary - cancer, which is incurable.

Her illness and prognosis has not stopped Cato doing her job.

She was heavily involved in Operation Nepal - the brutal sexual assault and murder of 69-year-old Cunxiu Tian in her family home in Te Atatu in January last year.

In May Jaden Lee Stroobant was jailed for life for the crime, described in court as "callous and depraved".

Cato is also instrumental in the ongoing investigation into the abduction and sexual assault of an 11-year-old boy in Ranui.

The boy was taken and assaulted after he got off a train at the Ranui Railway Station on November 17 last year.

The Herald first reported on Cato when she swam 2.9km across Waitemata Harbour.

The swim was high on her bucket list and she used the event to fundraise almost $20,000 for the charity Sweet Louise, which supports Kiwis living with incurable breast cancer.

This week she ticked another goal off her list when she completed her detective training - finishing at the top of her class and making her way onto the Police College honours board.

That gold badge, and getting her named etched onto the top performers list, was on Cato's bucket list.

Cato said she was "humbled" and excited about her future as a detective.
She wanted to focus on child protection work and aimed to lock up as many abusers as she could.

"Professionally, I want to keep holding offenders to account, assist victims to get justice and assist victims of serious crime with their healing journey," she said.

Personally - Cato has her wedding next month to look forward to and was feeling positive about her health.

"I'm back into hospital for treatment on Monday morning and I have a scan in a couple of weeks to see if and where the cancer has spread but I am optimistic and feeling fantastic," she said.

Sarah Cato receiving her gold badge from Assistant Commissioner Richard Chambers after completing the detective training course. Photo / New Zealand police

Waitemata District Commander Superintendent Tusha Penny revealed she had offered to award Cato the gold badge and waive the final part of her training.
Cato turned her down, emphatically.

"She said to me 'you don't get it. This means something and if I can't come down (to Police College) and do the course and do it like everyone else, then I don't want it'," Penny said.

"I am so proud that she topped it… she epitomises for me what police means… she does not let anything stand in her way."

Cato said she did not want any special treatment in police - all she wanted was to do her job, to help people and hold offenders to account.

She said she had always planned to take out the top spot on the course, and was "very proud" she had achieved it.

To make the occasion even more special, Penny arranged for Cato's fiancee Keely and daughter Emma, 10, to attend her induction.

After weeks of cloak-and-dagger organising, the pair made it to Wellington - despite a cancelled flight at the height of Cyclone Fehi - and surprised Cato just before the graduation.

"It was beyond words," Cato said.

"It was just amazing, it was a complete surprise."

Both Keely and Emma were proud of Cato - and the youngster summed up their feelings in a card she penned for her mother which was read at the dinner.

"I'm so proud of you and what you have achieved," the 10-year-old wrote.

"I know how hard you've worked for this - all the studying, night shifts and Police College has been worth it.

"You are an extraordinary police officer and a great mum."