Yeppoon’s Grant Kerlin nominated for QBANK Everyday Heroes Award

A Central Queensland police officer says he was “very humbled” to be nominated by his daughters for a QBANK Everyday Hero Award.

Water Police Yeppoon Senior Constable Grant Kerlin with his daughters Montana, Holly and Faith. Picture: Contributed

A Central Queensland police officer says he was “very humbled” to be nominated by his daughters for a QBANK Everyday Hero Award.

Yeppoon Water Police Senior Constable Grant Kerlin joined the Queensland Police Service 27 years ago and for the past 13 years, he has been stationed at Yeppoon Water Police.

“We are responsible for water safety,” he said.

Yeppoon Water Police Senior Constable Grant Kerlin. Picture: Nathan Richter

“We make sure everyone on the water has their licences and rego and carry all their safety gear they are required to carry.

“We also search vessels from time to time for drugs and weapons, do drug testing and breath testing.

“It’s generally normal policing but instead we drive boats.”

Before joining the Queensland Police Service, Senior Constable Kerlin worked as an auxiliary firefighter in Emerald for about five years.

Yeppoon water police in Mackay patrolling the Pioneer River on January 17, 2023. Picture: Janessa Ekert

“I really enjoyed doing something that makes a difference in people’s lives and an opportunity came up so I thought I would give it a crack,” he said.

“I had some mates in the police in Emerald who encouraged me to join.

“I haven’t regretted it since.”

The 54-year-old father of three said one of the biggest roles in the water police was search and rescue.

“There’s nothing more satisfying when someone goes missing at sea, or on land, and we can play a role in getting them home to their families,” he said.

Sadly, that isn’t always the case.

Avid fisherman Jed Farraway died in a boating incident in Port Alma waters in April 2022.

Senior Constable Kerlin, along with another officer, attended a fatal boating crash at Port Alma in April 2022 that claimed the life of Jed Henry John Farraway, 28.

He said he remained at the boat ramp throughout the incident as a family and media liaison.

“It was an unnecessary death and a pretty hard day for everyone at the scene,” he said.

He said the most dangerous incident he had faced occurred when he was a general duties police officer stationed at Beaudesert in 2001.

“A man had held his daughter hostage in a house and was threatening to burn it down.

“We managed to get close enough to the house to get him to open the door and allow us to reach in and grab her and pull her free of the house.

“Then we had to grapple with him. Unfortunately, he was holding a jerry can of fuel which had the lid open and it spilt on the floor as we were wrestling and he had a cigarette lighter still in his hand.

“So, we had to then struggle to get that cigarette lighter off him so we didn’t all go up in flames.

“My wife had only just given birth to our twins, so that was in the back of my mind too.”

Senior Constable Kerlin was nominated by his three daughters for the QBANK Everyday Hero Award.

“I must admit I was very humbled and quite emotional when I read what they had written,” he said.

“With this award, even if I don’t win it, in my opinion I have already won because now I know how my daughters feel about me and my role as a police officer over the years.”

Rural Fire Service officer Mark Tysoe has been nominated for a QBANK Everyday Hero Award. Picture: Contributed

Senior Constable Kerlin is one of many Queenslanders who have been nominated for the award in 2023.

Now in its ninth year, the awards celebrate the exceptional achievements of people within Queensland police, fire, health, corrections, justice, and public services, including educators.

Other Central Queensland nominees include Queensland Ambulance Service officers Andrew Judd from Winton and Erin Saltmarsh from Longreach, Queensland Fire and Emergency Service officers Megan Richardson from Blackall and Mark Tysoe from Ilfracombe, and Caleb McGrath from Calliope’s Queensland Police Service.

Winners will receive $2000 deposited into a QBANK account and $2000 donated to a charity of their choice.

Finalists will be announced in September and winners will be recognised at the annual awards dinner in Brisbane on October 27.