People’s choice: Bill Greer voted Gympie’s most influential person in 2022

A rural town’s well-liked top cop has thanked the community after being voted Gympie’s most influential person of 2022.

Bill Greer was the people’s choice for the most influential Gympie person in 2022.

Imbil’s top cop Sergeant Bill Greer has been voted the most influential person in 2022.

The top 30 most influential people in the Gympie region were announced in early December by the Gympie Times, along with a poll opened to determine people’s choice.

Sergeant Greer received 25 per cent of votes followed by Gympie Regional Council councillor Bruce Devereaux with 14 per cent and Mayor Glen Hartwig with 11 per cent.

See the full list: Gympie’s top 30 most influential people of 2022

Sergeant Greer said it felt “humbling” to be people’s choice and thanked everyone who voted.

“I thank the community for supporting us,” he said.

With few police officers stationed in Imbil, Sergeant Greer said he couldn’t get the results they get without the help of the community.

“At the end of the day, it’s just good to see the community working with the police,” he said.

Imbil Police Officer in Charge Bill Greer.

Sergeant Greer grew up in Gympie before moving to Tasmania, then New South Wales, and returned to the region when he joined the Queensland Police.

With 17 years in the region Sergeant Greer said the Imbil community was great to work with, as well as get involved in outside of his policing duties.

“It’s nice to see people supporting the police and the Valley,” he said.

Sergeant Greer has been a fixture in the Mary Valley, playing key roles in high profile investigations and working to keep the popular tourist spot safe.

In 2021, Sergeant Greer was named the Officer in Charge of the Imbil Police Station.

He has been involved in numerous high profile Mary Valley cases, including the tragic search for missing Sunshine Coast man Tarci Carey in August 2022, and the alleged murder of 22-year-old Michael Zanco in 2020.

He is part of the group which is helping steer the future of the proposed Borumba Dam pumped hydro power plant through his work as a member of Imbil Rural Watch.