Plenty of variety on patrol

Highway patrol officer Alex Wynne is retiring next month after a long career. Photo by Sally Rae.
Highway patrol officer Alex Wynne is retiring next month after a long career. Photo by Sally Rae.
Clocking an ''idiot'' driver at 198kmh, dealing with the tragedy of young accident victims and helping save a motorist's life - retiring Senior Constable Alex Wynne reckons he could write a book.

In fact, Snr Const Wynne (59), who retires from the police on March 4, wishes he had kept a diary.

''I've heard everything,'' he said this week.

He joined the Ministry of Transport (Mot) in 1977 after discovering he was too short to become a policeman.

After 12 weeks' training at Trentham, he started work riding a Yamaha motorcycle at Mt Eden, then Henderson.

He then stayed in west Auckland until he took a year's leave of absence in 1984 to visit Australia.

On his return, he worked on the Auckland motorways until the 1992 police/Mot merger.

He then worked in the Commercial Vehicle Investigation Unit until 1997, when he transferred to Orewa and worked in the Strategic Traffic Unit.

In 2001, Snr Const Wynne decided to leave the city in which he had spent virtually all his life and move south to North Otago.

He started work with the highway patrol on Boxing Day that year.

He was attracted by the area and the lifestyle, saying he first visited Oamaru in 1998 and ''loved the place''.

A highlight of his career was receiving an award in 2006 in recognition of his actions which helped save the life of Weston man Bob Wilson.

Snr Const Wynne was speaking to Mr Wilson, who was in his vehicle, when he noticed he failed to respond to a question - he was having a major heart attack.

Snr Const Wynne called for medical assistance and then commenced CPR on Mr Wilson, who had no pulse and was not breathing.

He called out for assistance and a nearby member of the public came to his aid and assisted with CPR.

Two other police officers also helped until ambulance staff arrived and took over.

The worst part of the job was dealing with accidents where children were involved.

He once held a 14-year-old girl, while ambulance staff worked on her, but she later died on the way to hospital.

There were some ''idiot'' drivers on the roads - including a motorist he clocked at 198kmh on an undulating back road between Riversdale and Gore, and a motorcyclist who was ''flying'' - at well over 200kmh - on an Auckland motorway.

Snr Const Wynne, who is shifting to Nelson, is now looking forward to a warmer climate and plenty of fishing.

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