Police News May - New Zealand Police Association

May 2004 Police News The Voice of PoliceObituary:Lou Dolman was a legend on the East CoastLouis (Lou) Irvine Dolman was a legend around the LakeWaikaremoana area - for two reasons - he spent 29 years asthe sole-charge police officer at Tuia and his contribution tolocal conservation efforts was outstanding.Lou died suddenly at his Onepoto home on 27 March. Hewas 78.Lou was born at Ngatapa. He worked as a shepherd inHawke’s Bay before joining the Police in 1947. He workedat Ruatoria before going to Tuai in 1956 and was therecipient of many police citations and awards in his career,among them the QPM and BEM medals.During his time at Tuia he was involved in many searchand rescue operations and his knowledge of the ruggedlocal bush was invaluable. He retired in 1985 and moved toOnepoto.ConservationistMr Dolman was a President of the Friends of Te UreweraNational Park from 1971 to 1989. Cherry Metz, who iscompiling a book on the Friends of Te Urewera NationalPark, said Mr Dolman was an outstanding President, andthe Friends accomplished many significant things duringthis time, especially with submissions to park managementplans regarding the acquisition of extra lands within thepark boundary.“He was a tireless worker over many years with park friendsand staff in tracking areas of the park and marking trackswhere people were likely to be lost,” she said.Mr Dolman was also a prime mover in establishing aprogramme for taking school parties to Camp Kaitawa,leading them up the Ngamoko Trig track, Pukenui Trig,through the Onepoto Caves and teaching them bushcraftskills.“There are children all over Hawke’s Bay who wouldremember being led by Lou through the Onepoto caves,”Mrs Metz said.Straight to the pointThe Kern County Sheriff’sDepartment, which was formed in1866, is the oldest law enforcementagency in the county of Bakersfield,California. Would-be criminals knowthe score in Kern County becausethe Sheriff and his deputies aren’tbackward in coming forward aboutgetting their message across (as canbe seen by the photo to the right) viaa rather blunt decal strip on the sideof their patrol cars.Kern County has 1,050 sworn, nonsworn,and civilian employees. The452 authorized sworn (peace officer)positions are deployed as deputies inthe Bakersfield Metropolitan Patrol,14 substations, detentions, detectivesand other support positions.Track carries his nameMr Dolman established thetrack through the caves. And hismemory will live on through Lou’sTrack, as it is known.“His slide presentations to schoolparties at Camp Kaitawa werebrilliant, and much appreciatedby the children and teachers,” MrsMetz said.He was also a keen photographer and his archive ofpictures of the park gave him the foundation for someinteresting presentations for the park holiday programmefor several years.“His collection was amazing, he also collected a lot ofhistorical black and white photographs, which he thendonated to the park,” Mrs Metz said.The photos were from a variety of sources and coveredmany historical events in the development of the area, suchas road-making, hydro development, and the settlementsthemselves.Memento• Lou Dolman. (Photocourtesy of the Wairoa Star).A police officer who visited Lou’s home many years ago,recalled that Lou had a mounted bullet on the mantelpiece.When asked what the significance of the miniature ‘trophy’was he was told it was one that had narrowly missed Louwhen an offender had shot at him with a rifle.Many of his police colleagues, fellow conservationists andlocals, all of whom had the good fortune to know him, willmiss Lou Dolman.His partner Gill Alexander, daughter Carol, son Keith andgrandchildren Shelley, Daniel, Julie, Jerome and Kashisurvive him.(Sources: Wairoa Star, Peter Hayes and Steve Plowman).• There’s a clear message for criminals from the Kern County Sheriff’s Department- and it’s on the side of this patrol car.72