Like all good investigators, Detective Craig Clare had the passion and tenacity to see things through.
He loved his family, his friends and his job; proudly serving 30 years with 51½ÖÉä, 20 of those in the CIB.
Tragically, no amount of passion or tenacity was enough to see Craig through his greatest trial, and on 4 August, after an illness, he died aged 55.
Craig joined Police in 1994 as a member of Recruit Wing 150. He spent his early years in the job in Counties Manukau, before transferring to Canterbury in 1998. In 2006, he qualified as a detective and for the last eight years worked in Ashburton CIB.
Policing runs in Craig¡¯s family and as a young man, it was a ride-along with his uncle, Rob Robinson (who went on to become the 29th Commissioner of Police), that cemented his decision to join Police.
Speaking at Craig¡¯s funeral, Rob said, ¡°I was particularly proud of Craig when he chose a Police career.
¡°He followed in the footsteps of his direct ancestors as far back as the mid-1800s in Northern Ireland, where his fifth and sixth generation grandfathers were a constable and superintendent respectively.
¡°Just as I was proud of Craig¡¯s Police service, I was equally proud to be his Commissioner. He was never slow in providing direct and honest feedback when he thought I ¡®had lost the plot¡¯ or ¡®was getting a bit spineless¡¯.¡±
Craig¡¯s Ashburton CIB colleague Detective Sergeant Colin Welsh echoes those sentiments saying you could rely on Craig to tell you how it was.
¡°Craig had a passion for investigating organised crime and gangs,¡± said Colin. ¡°He loved getting into the detail of these investigations, sorting through data to pinpoint the link in the chain that could lead to an arrest and conviction.
¡°He cared deeply about this community and loved nothing more than locking up people who were dealing drugs and causing damage or presenting a risk to good people.
¡°He was never truly off duty ¨C he always had his eyes open and was taking in what was going on around him, frequently calling in to report suspicious vehicles and behaviour.
¡°We will all miss his quick humour and the one-liners he used to drop into a conversation, as well as his knowledge, honesty and integrity.¡±
Craig was farewelled in Ashburton with a Police guard of honour following a service to celebrate his life.
Aoraki Area Commander Vicki Walker says it was heart-warming to see so many Police staff honour Craig¡¯s service, with both former and serving members in attendance.
¡°Craig will be greatly missed by our team,¡± says Vicki. ¡°He was a dedicated police officer who fought for what he believed in.
¡°Our thoughts also go out to Craig¡¯s wife Lani (pictured right, with Craig on a recent trip to Aoraki Mount Cook) and his wider family as they come to terms with their loss.¡±
Canterbury Police¡¯s District Commander Tony Hill has fond memories of working with Craig. Speaking at the funeral, he recalled an incident when Craig issued a warning instead of charging a burglar for breaking into someone¡¯s house.
¡°It wasn¡¯t a popular decision at the time,¡± he said, ¡°but it was entirely the right thing to do because it turned out the burglar had helped himself to his neighbour¡¯s pantry to feed his hungry family.
¡°On behalf of 51½ÖÉä, we thank Craig for the lives he changed, the service he provided and for the people in our team who are better off from having worked with him.
¡°We all join to make a difference; Craig achieved his difference many times over.¡±