A CHRISTMAS FEAST AND THE GIFT OF CUSTOMER SERVICE …€¦ · A CHRISTMAS FEAST AND THE GIFT OF CUSTOMER SERVICE It wasn’t a happy start to the 2011 festive season for one resident.

A CHRISTMAS FEAST AND THE GIFT OF

CUSTOMER SERVICE

It wasn’t a happy start to the 2011festive season for one resident. Her

home was broken into by people shetrusted, her keycard stolen, andthousands of dollars drained from herbank account. Then sadly, her 87-year-old brother died on ChristmasEve, leaving her distraught.

Just weeks before Christmas lastyear Coonabarabran-based Cst DonYeo investigated the robbery andbreak and enter offence committedagainst this lady. Results came swiftly

and just eight days later numerouscharges were laid against a Coonabarabran couple in their mid 30s.

During a victim follow up call, thevictim was notified of the arrests and,for some police officers that mayhave been where the matter ended.

Speaking from her home inCoonabarabran, a 10 acre propertyshe originally developed as afundraising location for children inneed, the victim explained to PoliceMonthly how the kindness of Cst Yeoand the other officers involved hadtouched her life.

“I’d had a stroke and for the last sixmonths I’ve been unable to walkoutside the house. The people whorobbed me were people I had knownand trusted – it never occurred to me that it may have been them,” she said.

During his initial visit, Cst Yeo hadasked her about her security as anelderly woman alone on the property– which is set well back from the

In the February edition of Police Monthly Commissioner Scipione wrote in hiscolumn about the excellent customer service shown by two constables overChristmas. Following a number of requests, here’s the full story of how theirkindness touched an elderly lady.

Amanda Beadman, Police Monthly

LEFT Cst Don Yeo and Cst MatthewPhillis from Mudgee LAC cared just alittle more, and earned the gratitude ofan elderly lady and the Commissioner

16 PoliceMonthly MARCH 2012

Snr Cst Scott Wilson and CstTroy Keep at New EnglandLAC have been praised forhelping a truck driver whosevehicle broke down whiletransporting livestock.

Dear Sir,Yesterday my old truck carried

lambs from Glen Innes toTamworth. She experienced three flat tyres and pulled up for a spell just south of Uralla in anawkward spot.

While my brother and Iorganised parts, Snr Cst Wilsonand Cst Keep stopped theirnormal work and stayed with myold truck on the side of thehighway in the cold night forupwards of an hour, making itsafer for other drivers.

It wouldn’t have been muchfun, however when we got backboth policemen had anunderstanding of ourpredicament. They were verysafety conscious and thoughtfulenough to turn off the old truckhazards and rest its battery. Theyalso gave us respect that we didn’tnecessarily earn.

I would like to thank them forhow they carried themselves. Thisexperience has restored my faithin police. These blokes have theright temperament for the job.

Thanks again. PS: The lambs andthe old truck are all well.

Name and address supplied

EXCELLENCEroad. She told him how her Rottweilerguard dog had recently died of bonecancer, and with her ailing health shehad not felt able to train another pet.

“I said I was determined to stay onmy property for as long as I can – andhe strongly advised me to getanother guard dog,” she said. “Bycoincidence, in the next few days Iheard about an Alsatian who hadbeen badly mistreated and neededrescuing – and after what Cst Yeo had said to me, I decided toadopt her. Sasha is with me now andwe’ve saved each other’s lives.”

A Christmas visit

On Christmas Eve the victimreceived a phone call notifying herthat her 87-year-old brother hadpassed away. Moments after the callthere was a knock at the door. Cst Yeoand Cst Matthew Phillis had come tofollow up after the robbery and checkon her welfare.

“I must have looked a bit stunned,and Cst Yeo asked what was wrong. I

explained that I’d had some bad newsand we talked about it for a while,”she said.

“As the officers were leaving CstPhillis turned back and asked mewhat I was doing the next day –which was Christmas day. I said I’d bedoing the same thing I’d done everyChristmas day for the past eight years– I’d be alone and sitting by thephone waiting for my family to call.Both the officers then said theywould come by and bring mesomething to eat.”

At about 2pm the next day CstPhillis was the first to arrive at theelderly lady’s house, carrying anenormous hamper of food. Cst Yeofollowed closely behind in his familycar, with more food and his three-year-old daughter.

“The boxes contained an absolutefeast – salad, prawns, home-madepudding, custard….oh my goodnessthey had everything – it was justamazing and I was close to tears,” she said.

Since the Christmas visit the victimhas invited Cst Yeo’s children to visither property. A key attraction is thearray of rescued and now-thrivinganimals that roam freely, in particulara 30-year-old rehabilitated donkeynamed Suzie that children are able to ride.

“Suzie was only 30 percent alivewhen I got her – but now she hascome up trumps and children justlove her,” she said. You know I workedat Dubbo Zoo for 20 years prior to my retirement.

“Both of the officers I dealt with aresplendid men and could not havebeen any better to me. In terms ofcustomer service, I honestly couldn’twish for more.”

The fine work of Csts Phillis and Yeo in their handling of this case has been gratefullyacknowledged by DeputyCommissioner Catherine Burn,Corporate Sponsor, Customer Service.

MARCH 2012 PoliceMonthly 17