Long-serving Whanganui police officer Phil Randal retiring after 34 years

Phil Randal said he had been in "two minds" about retiring because he loves his job. Photo / Mike Tweed

Senior Constable Phil Randal is retiring from the Whanganui Police after 34 years on the job, 25 of which have been spent patrolling the region's roads as a traffic officer.

"I joined the police in 1986 as a 31-year-old, back when that was the maximum age to join," Randal said.

"It started off with general policing here, and I worked over at the Whanganui East Community Policing Centre when that was operating."

Randal, who is part of the city's strategic traffic unit, said his career on the roads began when he and another constable were given a car with "HIGHWAY emblazoned in 18 inch high letters on the sides, front and back".

"We patrolled between Bulls and Whenuakura, and halfway up the Parapara, just with this one car.

"Within a two-year period we'd dropped the crash rate by 75 per cent or something silly, because people knew they were going to get checked or stopped.

"Back in those days you didn't give a speeding ticket to anyone who was doing less than 25km/h over the speed limit on the open road. There was no instant loss of licence or anything like that."

Randal said he was assigned to the national highway patrol when it started at the end of 2000, after which he was based at Ohakea.

"I lasted about 12 months on that and then I came back and did strategic traffic in Whanganui.

"Then they set up traffic positions in Marton and two of us from Whanganui went down there. I worked there from 2002 until 2016, and I came back home to see out my dying years.

"I've really enjoyed my time. It's not a case of just going out and giving people tickets, it's about trying to educate and make it safe for everybody."

While a lot of people he had dealt with early in his career had "mellowed down", there was always "a new batch" coming through, Randal said.

"We have a hell of a lot more pursuits of the young ones these days than we ever used to have.

"I think it's a case of people being busier, and they want everything and they want it now.

"Nowadays people are getting in their car to go 500 metres, and you see it around schools as well. Kids don't seem to walk or bike there any more, the parents are dropping them off, and they have to drop them right at the gate."

Being a traffic officer meant that police were dealing with "all types of members of the public", as well as witnessing "some pretty horrific things", Randal said.

"The interesting thing I've found is the person who gives you the most grief when you're dealing with them is the company CEO, the person who thinks he's better than everybody else.

"The 'average Joe' citizen with his family, you actually feel quite sorry for them at times. You get no satisfaction out of giving them a ticket because they've probably saved up to go on holiday or something.

"It's been a very rewarding job, but it also gets pretty stressful and emotional at times."

When it came to excuses for excessive speed or other infringements, Randal said he had heard "a whole variety over the years".

'It's great. Someone will say 'I suppose you've heard this before?', and I'll say 'let's try'. Every so often I'll go 'nope, that's a new one, I've never heard that before'.

"It's very common, especially when you're dealing with overseas tourists, for them to say 'I really need to go to the toilet', or 'I've got massive stomach pains'.

"Another one is 'my wife's pregnant'. What do you have to go fast for? She's not having the baby yet."

Randal said he had been in two minds about retiring.

"I really love coming to work and I love my job, but you don't live to work.

"I want to spend more time with my wife, and motorhome around the place. As soon as Covid's over I want to see my grandkids in Aussie as well.

"There'll be a lot of people out there who'll be happy to see me go, but that just goes with the territory."