Salute to a greatly-respected colleague and friend - New Zealand ...

New Zealand Police AssociationSeptember 2004Phillip Anthony (Piripi) Wipatene (1949 - 2004)Police colleagues were stunned by thetragic death of Highway Patrol Officer,Phillip Wipatene, 55, after he was killedon duty when his car collided head-onwith another vehicle on the Oakurabridge in Taranaki on July 15.Senior Constable Wipatene started hiscareer with the Ministry of Transport.He then took up a job driving buses butrejoined the department prior to theMOT-Police merger in 1992.In 2002 he became a highway patrolofficer.As an iwi liaison officer, he workedclosely with local Maori after the shootingof Steven Wallace at Waitara in 2000and his knowledge and experience wereinvaluable during that time.Piripi, as he was known to hiscolleagues, was a mischievous type ofman who was seldom glum. He wasalways very quick to come up withhumorous quips on any topic andwas a very positive workmate, whowent about his work role in quite anunassuming manner.Piripi never hesitated to come to anyof his colleagues’ assistance whenhe thought they were in a difficultsituation. If an officer was havingtrouble with a Maori offender, Piripiwould sometimes arrive on the sceneand with a few stern words in Maori• Phillip Anthony (Piripi) Wipatene.could defuse the situation. Sometimes,after having been spoken to by Piripi,an offender would arrive back at anofficer’s patrol car and politely ask: “Doyou want me in the front or back seat”.Humour a mainstayWhether in a group situation withcolleagues or conversing with motoristsPiripi always brought humour to thesituation and his raucous laughter andwitty comments never failed to endearpeople to him. He was a pleasure towork with. During his years workingat Taranaki schools, delivering a roadsafety programme as a youth educationofficer, he became very well-known andgreatly respected by many people.Piripi’s Maori culture and heritage wasof the utmost importance to him andhe was always willing to answer anyquestions regarding Maoridom.On his arrival with the highway patrolhe was given “ownership” of SH 45,which runs through his ancestralgrounds. Piripi held that responsibilitywith great esteem and pride.His colleagues will also miss hisattendance at golfing sorties, wherehe relished the opportunity of beatingyounger rivals.Piripi set a high standard with hispersonal turnout and his patrol car wasalways immaculately clean.He adored his treasured mokopunas(grandchildren) and each time hereceived the bi-annual PCT allowance itwas dedicated to a different puna’s bankaccount on a rotational basis.Piripi’s presence will be greatly missedby all those who worked with him andenjoyed his company but also in theknowledge that he would be saying:“You gotta get on with it”.His wife, Merridee, his four adultchildren, Karl, Kelly, Mark and Nathan,and six young grandchildren, Ella,Jazmine, Erika, Kieran, Taylor andDevon, survive him.-By Kevin Wellington.The £30 ice creamA pub landlord was booked for not being in control of his car when policespotted him eating an ice cream at the wheel.Ray Maltby, of The Granby, in Whitby, England, received a £30 fixed penalty fineafter he was stopped on the mile-long journey from the shop to his pub.The 58-year-old now wants the law clarified for other motorists.But Inspector Tim Hutchinson of Whitby Police said driving while eating posed arisk to pedestrians.Candid CameraMr Maltby said he had no idea he was breaking the law and was stumped whenthe officer pulled him over recently and asked him if he knew what he had donewrong.Mr Maltby said he thought he was on Candid Camera when the officer handedhim a £30 fine.In response, Inspector Hutchinson said Mr Maltby was not wearing a seatbelt,had one hand on the steering wheel and was not thinking about public safety.“You have someone driving through a busy seaside town with loads of touristsaround, driving with one hand,” he said.159