Officer who worked through Black Saturday marks 40 years in the force
A veteran police officer who stepped up during the Ash Wednesday fires and Black Saturday 26 years later, has marked his 40th year in the force.
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The voice of reason, constant, professional and consistent.
Those were just some of the ways in which Sergeant Daryl Kennedy, 57, of Whittlesea police was described by his colleagues and family at a surprise celebration to mark his 40th anniversary in the force last week.
Over sausages and banter, a very modest Sgt Kennedy recounted a career in which he had served communities in Broadmeadows, Russell St, Northcote, Ascot Vale, Preston, Mill Park and Whittlesea.
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Sgt Kennedy said he could still remember walking into the police academy for the first time, however 40 years had gone in “the blink of an eye”.
“I started to realise how long I had been doing this for when the people I was supervising were actually born after I started,” Sgt Kennedy said.
Over the course of his career Sgt Kennedy had been involved in everything from arson and drug investigation squads to working through some of Victoria’s darkest days.
“I was involved in Ash Wednesday (1983) when I first started and it’s gone full circle being up here,” Sgt Kennedy said.
Sgt Kennedy’s wife Anne Kennedy said hearing of what her husband had experienced in the wake of Black Saturday was extremely challenging, however her husband was always “very dependable” and she felt “very, very lucky” to have him.
Those sentiments were echoed by Sgt Kennedy’s colleagues and his mother Merle who said her son’s occupation had caused her to have many sleepless nights but also an immense sense of pride.
For Sgt Kennedy, it is the communities he has served that keeps him coming back.
“I was only going to stay a couple of years here (Whittlesea) — 19 years later I’m still here,” he said.
“I don’t know if that says more about me, or the community,” he laughed.
“I still haven’t found the door.”
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