For School Community Officer ROB 'CONSTABLE ROB' DRUMMOND, being a SCO isn’t just a job — he reckons it’s a commitment to making his community a better place for everyone. Internal Communications Advisor KRISTIN EDGE speaks with Northland’s latest Woolf Fisher recipient.
A cacophony of children’s voices fills the classroom at Opua School. As Rob enters, the students' attention shifts and in a cheery unison they call out: “Kia ora Constable Rob.”
Rob, with 35 years' policing experience, has spent 20 years as a SCO based out of Kerikeri, canvassing the 25 schools in the wider Mid North Area.
He is a familiar and trusted face across the Mid North and his connection with the children is immediately obvious as he lands a couple of high fives, rock star style.
The children gather on the mat as he takes a place on a chair at the front of the class. Small hands shoot into the air with questions, bubbling over before the session begins.
Quiet is restored and the 'Keeping ourselves safe' lesson begins. Topics such as neglect, sexual abuse, stranger danger and online dangers are all canvassed.
“The children learn abuse is never OK and it’s never their fault," he says.
He has taught thousands of Northland children this course and is realistic it will never stop the harm completely.
“But it gives kids the knowledge and understanding about how to speak up and get help.”
In classes for younger children, they are asked to recite their parent’s phone number and their home address for emergency situations. This proved to be a life-saving part of the course for a Northland colleague.
Twelve years ago, an officer went into an anaphylactic shock and collapsed at home after eating an orange.
Fortunately, their four-year-old daughter had been attending half-day classes before starting school and had been in one of Constable Rob’s classes. So, they knew how to dial 111 and give Hato Hone St John the address.
The officer was taken by ambulance to a doctor and given medication to save their life.
“This is an example of this work making a real difference,” Rob says.
“It’s a great job with such positive interaction with children and the community as a whole. I just want to make sure people living in my community feel safe.”
Out in the community Rob has been involved in rugby and cricket. He currently captains the Kerikeri cricket team. He has held official and coaching roles in both junior cricket and rugby clubs as he supported his three children through their sports. He also headed the Board of Trustees at Kerikeri High School for seven years.
Rob shows off his wicket keeping skills during a local Police cricket game.
Rob joined Police aged 24. He had always thought of Police as a career as his older brother had joined when he was 17.
However, Rob decided he wanted to travel first so joined the BNZ, saved enough money and completed the quintessential year-long Kiwi OE when he was 21.
Back home his desire to join Police was temporarily put on hold when the college was shut for a year. In 1990, when it reopened he was on the first intake.
After graduating he was stationed in Palmerston North for three years before heading to Motueka where he was on the frontline for 10 years.
In 2003, he and his family moved to Kerikeri where he worked on the frontline for two years. An opportunity came up to step into the School Community officer role.
He’s never looked back.
Rob still can’t resist keeping his hand in with the frontline and takes a keen interest in crime and crash incidents, recently helping link a string of burglaries together in what was named the Casper investigation as the man involved kept a white sheet pulled over his head.
In 2014, he was awarded a Commissioner's Commendation after talking around a man who was armed with a knife and had taken hostages at the Paihia Four Square. The man only wanted to talk with Rob, who he had had previous dealings with.
The news he had been awarded a prestigious Woolf Fisher Fellowship came as a surprise for Rob, now a grandfather of five.
“There was a text saying it was from [Commissioner] Richard Chambers and to give him a call. I thought someone was taking the p**s. I saw it was a Police number so rang back and got an answer and recognised the Commissioner’s voice.
“It’s been a real privilege to have been acknowledged. You do the work and get involved in the community and don’t really think about it – it’s just what you do.”
A self-confessed technophobe, Rob reckons the dangers presented by the internet and social media are huge.
As part of the Woolf Fisher Fellowship, he hopes to meet up with counterparts in Sussex, England, and see how they are dealing with the issue of online safety for children and how that will be impacted by AI.
He will be taking Penny, his wife of 34 years, with him overseas. She has worked as a practice nurse at a local doctor's surgery for 20 years.
Whether Rob’s in Police uniform connecting with students, supporting whānau, building trust across the district or wearing sporting garb captaining the local cricket team, his work and attitude reflects the true spirit of community policing.
Rob has taught thousands of children over the years.