Kempsey detective Dean Rutledge retires 'with a bang'

A crowd that included family, friends and colleagues gathered to celebrate his career at his official 'March Out' in Kempsey on November 2.

Det. Snr Con. Rutledge said he was "honoured" to receive the warm farewell.

"It's a huge honour, I'm really proud to see all the friends going back 40 years," he said. "I've had a great career, and I've worked with some great people."

Det. Snr Con. Rutledge became inspired to enter the police force after receiving some "good advice from friends" who were already in the industry.

He started his career in Bankstown, Sydney. At the end of 1984, he moved to Moree where he stayed for eight years.

"That was a very similar place to Kempsey, they were very friendly people," he said.

Det. Snr Con. Rutledge moved to Kempsey in March, 1993 and stayed there ever since.

"I came from this area originally," he said. "Coming from a country background, it made it easier for me to work here"

He said crime has changed dramatically over the years.

"There's been a lot of change in the investigation and the court system," he said.

Det. Snr Con. Rutledge has been rewarded for his work over the years. He reflected on some of the cases that he solved.

"One of the jobs [involved] a serial rapist that we arrested here in Kempsey that was linked to quite a few attacks on young women between the Taree area and the Coffs [Harbour] area," he said.

"He was sentenced to a long term of imprisonment after being convicted of about seven attacks on women.

"We've had a number of murder investigations... one of them included a home invasion on an elderly man in West Kempsey. Three local people were charged and convicted and sentenced to very long periods of incarceration."

Although he has endured many lowlights in his career, he was quick to point out his highlights.

"I've worked with some very good investigators who were very easy to get along with and who also worked in teams to get some very big jobs done," he said.

"[I will miss] the camaraderie amongst the people who I've worked with. The town here has always been friendly to me."

Commander for the Mid North Coast Police District Superintendent Shane Cribb said he wanted to make sure Det. Snr Con. Rutledge "went out with a bang".

"He deserves it when you think about the time he has given to the communities in New South Wales," he said. "Someone who gives so much effort to a difficult job deserves to go out how he did today.

"He's given a lot of service to Kempsey, he's a very dedicated detective and he solved a lot of crimes... he will be sorely missed."

Supt Cribb said he was "very community orientated" and will be remembered for his dedication to the communities he served in.

"He was always respectful, he'd come to work and all he wanted was the best for everyone," he said. "When he got an investigation, he would complete that investigation very thoroughly.

"He was very experienced and well thought of by his colleagues. He was an honour to work with."

Det. Snr Con. Rutledge said he was most looking forward to spending time with his family, travelling and fishing in his retirement.

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