June edition - The Police Association Victoria

OBITuARY
Sergeant Rod Hiam was a
valued member of The Police
Association. He joined the
job in 1979. During much of
his time in the job, Rod was
an Association Delegate
representing members at
South Melbourne and later at
Horsham. Sadly, Rod passed
away last month. Association
Secretary Greg Davies was
Rod’s friend and delivered this
eulogy at his funeral.
ABOVE: Rod Hiam with his wife, Denise, after the September 2009 Delegates’ Conference.
VaLE SERGEaNT ROD Hiam
While everyone here today is so
very sad, it is really about the
celebration of a life cut too short.
Rod was taken from us at just 51 years
of age, and he leaves behind the loves
of his life: his wife Denise, his children,
Edward, ashleigh and Luke; his daughter-inlaw
Jess, his little grandchild Bailey and her
sister Debbie.
He also leaves many friends, made in
the course of a full and happy life − a life
spent in the service of others, for others
and rarely for himself.
Rod had the gentle demeanour possessed
by many big men. At work, which is where
my knowledge of and friendship with
Rod is based, he was competent, realistic,
occasionally extremely opinionated
(particularly where the Hawthorn Football
Club or crooks were concerned) reliable and
slow to anger.
I had the privilege and the fun of being a
part of Rod's life, and he a part of mine,
for around eight years in the 1980s at
Prahran and I can tell you this: when you
were standing outside the old South Yarra
Arms Hotel on a Friday night, fighting with
bikies and very large men South Pacific
origin (who had been fighting each other
until the police arrived and then all started
fighting us), there was no happier sight than
seeing Rodney Frank Hiam, coming up the
footpath behind them like the one-man
cavalry, to rescue the besieged troops.
Rod was one of the proudest policemen
I’ve ever met. He loved the Victoria Police
Force and he loved being a part of it. He
liked looking after decent Victorians and he
thrived on catching crooks. He revelled in
the excitement and the camaraderie of the
Force and he didn’t even seem to mind the
mundane parts of it − not that there were
many back then.
After Rod was injured in a car accident at
work, he eventually took to helping others
through co-ordinating the Neighbourhood
ABOVE: Rod Hiam was farewelled with Full Police
Honours - photo courtesy Wimmera Mail-Times.
Watch Program. Even when he wasn’t
match fit he was still a part of the team,
doing the things that needed to be done to
help the public and the Force.
That car accident, by the way, occurred when
Rod and Rhys Livingstone, another big man
of about 6’ 2" and 17 stone, were on their
way to yet another urgent call for assistance
from the troops. This time it was a punchup
at the Toorak Hotel and, in their rush
to get in amongst it, the thrill of the hunt
made them a little too hurried in getting
there. They managed to end up replacing
the winged lady emblem on the bonnet of
a Rolls Royce Phantom − no less − with the
front of the police car, in a fairly spectacular
head-on collision in Toorak Road. Perhaps
there was just too much momentum for
standard brakes to stop them.
Rod was also a Police Association Delegate
for many years − always in the fray trying to
look after the interests of others.
The last time Rod and I spoke, with Denise at
their home two or three weeks ago, he was
still asking about where the Force was going
and whether there was a means clear to see
things settle down and return to the way he
believed it should be.
But that was Rod − thinking of others,
accepting of his lot in life and just caring
for his family, who he loved so very dearly.
Never effusive in his praise, he told me
how proud of his family he was − of his
strapping young lads, his pretty girl and
his great love, Denise.
Rod had a habit of obtaining most
positions he applied for in the Force,
through his record of service and the high
recommendation of his referees; and you
can be certain that when he fronts St. Peter
and asks for his reserved seat in heaven’s
Hawthorn Stand, he’ll get it − because he
goes with an impeccable record of service
and the highest recommendation that any
Australian male can ever hope to have
− he was a good bloke.
And I thank my good fortune that
Rodney frank Hiam was my friend.
Goodbye mate, from all of us.
The Police Association Victoria Journal June 2011
13