Author MacLeod.
Wearing a police badge bearing his name is an honour and responsibility Arthur MacLeod is proud to bear.
Over the past 16 years the Albion Park Rail man has devoted 7000 hours to the Volunteers in Policing (VIP) program and he shows no signs of slowing down.
‘‘Hopefully it keeps me young, keeps me a little bit active and my brain ticking over; you have to do something when you’re retired I think,’’ he said.
Mr MacLeod’s tireless service has been recognised with a nomination in this year’s Rotary Clubs of NSW Police Officer of the Year awards, held in Sydney on Friday.
When retirement beckoned Mr MacLeod, 81, could have turned to more insular pursuits, but the emergency services were in his blood.
For 36 years he worked as an ambulance officer, and his calm demeanour also served him well at the State Emergency Service, where he volunteered for 23 years.
Now a VIP, Mr MacLeod is regularly called upon to carry out vital community and behind-the-scenes policing duties.
‘‘One of the main [tasks] we do is to take the crime prevention van out to shopping centres and various events,’’ he said.
‘‘We’re like a window between police and community; it gives people an opportunity to talk to police that otherwise wouldn’t approach them.’’
His other duties range from paper shredding to making follow-up calls to elderly victims of crime and representing police at events throughout the command.