Story: Gary Fry
Tomorrow, one of the true blue characters of the New England Police Command will officially hand in his badge, retiring after 28 years of service.
Inspector Matt Lynch cited health concerns and a desire to spend more time with his family as reasons for his retirement from a highly decorated career.
New England Local Area Commander, Superintendent Bruce Lyons, describes the Police Force as the “Police Family” and it is a sentiment shared by Inspector Lynch.
“From day one, when I walked into the Academy in Goulburn in October, 1985, I have felt the camaraderie. Friendships with Police colleagues are enduring. Detective Inspector Greig Stier, who also recently retired from the New England Command, was in my class in the Academy,” he said.
“I started as a Probationary Constable at Chatswood Police Station. I was there for about 11 years; building a rapport with a lot of people, making many friends and seeing a lot of Police come and go. In 1997, I was promoted to Sergeant when I went to Eastwood in Sydney,” he said. “My wife came from the Nambucca area. Her family was living on a farm near Valla. So I decided to put my hat in the ring for a country posting, applying for a job in Armidale.”
Inspector Lynch recalled the tree-change policing culture shock he experienced when he left Sydney to take up a position in Armidale 13 years ago.
“Being a city boy, I knew nothing about country life. After pulling up stumps and relocating to Armidale, I haven’t looked back.
“I found country and city policing to be extremely different, not only in contending with traffic issues, but also the volume of incidents. You’ve got a lot of resources and back-up at your fingertips in the city. In a country command, cops have got to be thinking on their feet, often left to resolve matters with minimal resources or back-up. Young cops, or those coming from the city, are forced to learn to be resourceful.
“The rural aspects of policing here were all new at first; the agricultural sector, the open spaces and National Parks. Plus, in the city, I was called to minor dingles. On an open country road, vehicular incidents are more often going to involve a high risk of injury or tragedy.
“I’ve loved every minute of my time with the Police. Armidale has been fantastic for me and the family. I have reared two children here. Treating people how I want to be treated and keeping a positive attitude have helped.
“A big difference in country policing is that the Police live within their commands, making them more accessible and part of their communities. Even in outlying areas, like Guyra and Uralla, the Police live there. When I worked in Chatswood and Eastwood, we had Police commuting from Newcastle and the Central Coast. It was virtually impossible for those Police to take some ownership of the community they are policing. They can do their job well but won’t have the more personal interaction you have in the country,” Inspector Lynch said. “In a country town, you don’t remain anonymous. You benefit by being able to form better relationships, socially as well as professionally.
“Being a Police Officer, you see the side of life that most people aren’t exposed to. It’s hard to focus on achievements or highlights because you’re subjected to such a variety of jobs; things like search and rescue, major motor vehicle accidents; and siege situations. I enjoyed working with the community in areas such as mental health, youth issues and inter-agency efforts.”
Inspector Lynch has been at the fore of major crimes in the local area, the nature of which he likely did not expect when leaving the city; the decapitation murder of 82-year-old WWII veteran (on 12.01.07), Markus Edwin Hutchinson, among them. “The unfortunate thing about policing is, you’re exposed to a lot of tragedy. As well as the investigations in order to apprehend offenders of crimes, there’s also the community aspect; you’ve got to get in and let the community know what you’re doing and keep people apprised. We work together to solve these things as fast as possible. Perceptions or fears play a part in people feeling safe and comfortable in their community.
“Police work hard to put people’s minds at ease by resolving investigations.”
To those starting out in the Police Force, Inspector Lynch’s advice is “enjoy your work and, if you have dramas, put your hand up. Make it a career; don’t just treat it as a job. Choose from the many career pathways within the Police, like detectives, crime scene, water police, school and community liaison, general duties, highway patrol, drug squads and more.”
Inspector Lynch said that he has no regrets. “If I had my time over again, I would do it all just the same.
“I’ll wake up on Friday and no longer be a Police Officer but I know I’ll always have the support of the Police, the community and the many friends I’ve made here.
“I’d like to thank the community for the support and friendships that I’ve found here in the New England,” he said.
