Sergeant Tim Marrinan retires from Bundaberg Police after 34 years of service

An ‘old school copper’ who always put the community first has reflected on the best and worst moments of his 34 year career as retirement beckons he and his wife.

Queensland Police has lost one of its true characters with the retirement of Sergeant Tim Marrinan after 34 years of service to the Bundaberg community.

Sergeant Marrinan was farewelled with a piping ceremony at Bundaberg Police Station on Thursday, March 2 attended by his colleagues, family and friends.

After joining Queensland Police in 1989 following a short stint as a high school maths teacher, Sergeant Marrinan was based in Atherton and Cooktown before being transferred to the Bundaberg region.

He became a well-known fixture of the Gin Gin community, working in the local station for 14 years including as Officer in Charge before moving to Bundaberg.

Sergeant Marrinan said the piping ceremony was an opportunity to reflect on his career.

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“It was emotional,” Sergeant Marrinan said.

“Thirty-four years of being a police officer travelling around Queensland working in different communities doing different jobs - it’s a long time to give yourself to the community.”

Sergeant Tim Marrinan with his wife Jill.

His proudest memories include locating missing people as a Land Search and Rescue Coordinator, and teaching road safety tips to school students through the Adopt-a-Cop program.

Attending road crashes as a first responder and delivering tragic news to families are among the hardest memories.

“A lot of the things (I remember) are sad and tragic, they’re not the good things,” Sergeant Marrinan said.

“But that’s part of our job (as police officers), so we just go and do it ... it is a very rewarding career, but it’s also very difficult.”

Sergeant Marrinan’s fondest memories are reserved for his fellow police officers.

“You miss the people in the organisation more than the organisation itself,” he said.

Sergeant Tim Marrinan with Officer in Charge of Bundaberg Police Station Michael McGarry

He laughs when recalling a story of a drug raid gone wrong involving a former Sergeant at Gin Gin station.

“We were at a drug raid, and he slipped and fell in the mud - he’s just come back covered head to toe in mud, his whole uniform and everything,” he recalled.

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Officer in Charge of Bundaberg Police Station Michael McGarry described Sergeant Marrinan as “an old school copper”.

“Tim went about policing in a traditional way, always putting the community first - he’s made a significant contribution to a lot of communities around Queensland.”

“It’s a sad day for us, we’ll miss him dearly around the place.”

Sergeant Marrinan’s retirement plans include travelling Australia as a grey nomad with his wife Jill, and working on his gold handicap.

Sergeant Marrinan and Jill are competing in the Outback Queensland Masters golf series in June.

“I’ve just enjoyed my service and my time in the police, and I hope I’ve made some sort of contribution to the people of Queensland,” Sergeant Marrinan said.

“I’ve probably affected some lives, good and bad, I suppose. But whatever it is, you know, I was just doing a job. That’s about it.”