Jobs you never forget

I responded to a suspected murder, entered the master bedroom and saw a dead woman with numerous stab wounds lying on a bed. A man had a

single stab wound to the chest but was alive. I initially thought this might’ve been a home invasion. SAAS gave the man medical treatment and I secured the scene as other police arrived. I grabbed my video, scanned the whole scene and allocated a patrol to go with the man to hospital in case of a dying declaration. CIB and Major Crime established that the man had killed his partner. After two trials he was found guilty. One reason I remember the case is because I saw a small piece of the woman’s innards on the carpet. It had come out with the serrated knife the killer had used and had landed over his shoulder.

I prosecuted a man for the first of 18 listed trials for assaults against his then ex-wife. This guy was an

intimidator. A delivery company called me to confirm my home address. My enquiries revealed this defendant was the sender. He was also suspected of cutting the pet dog of an investigating officer. At trial, I guided his ex-wife through the examination-in-chief. Then I cross-examined him, a situation he hated. He was found guilty, remanded in custody and refused to negotiate in the other trials. He continued to slander SAPOL, me and other members. Outside police HQ one day, he yelled that I was corrupt. Some 20 years on, he appeared before me when I was the charge sergeant in the Southern District cells. Then, he was sheepish, quiet and compliant.

SERGEANT IAN FORSTER

(SD Response Teams)

It’s memorable but not exactly a job. It started with a simple “how are you going, mate?” to a colleague in the

car park. I’d known him for decades, and he’d worked in a variety of operational fields. His disposition was always pretty extroverted. But those simple words I spoke revealed a response inconsistent with that disposition. And further conversation revealed a broken man who needed help. Further assistance was organized, and he knew he needed it and was receptive to ongoing treatment. That’s why I remember this situation so clearly. I’m glad I asked him the question. It led to a chain of events that helped him to change his life for the better and return to work after an extended period and medical assistance.

“It led to a chain of events that helped him to change his life for the better …”

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