While the tools of the trade have changed for Manawat¨± Detective Dion Kumeroa, he stays connected to his shearing roots by helping young shearers keep safe.
Dion recently attended an Elite Shearer Course in Feilding, speaking with the up-and-coming shearers about making good life choices, as well as his very diverse career background - which started with shearing.
¡°I starting shearing when I was about 14 with a good friend and his family and this eventually turned into a full-time job,¡± says Dion.
¡°I left school at 16 and worked hard and earned a shearing stand shearing about 250 sheep a day.
¡°For about 15 years I worked mainly around the Rangitikei, Taihape, Hunterville areas and also down south for a season in amongst show shearing and competing around the country.¡±
Speaking at the Feilding shearing course was a first for Dion - but a rewarding experience.
¡°Sometimes there is a negative stigma attached to the shearing community and they can be associated with criminal and anti-social behaviour,¡± he says.
¡°To help turn this around and make a positive impact it¡¯s important for Police to work together with them to identify issues and provide education and support. It¡¯s also an opportunity to showcase policing - especially for those considering a career as a police officer.
¡°I know Sergeant Blair Duffy from Queenstown also does this down south and I believe it¡¯s a great prevention initiative that I plan to continue with here in the Manawat¨±.¡±
Dion gave the shearers relevant examples from his experience, both in his shearing days and current Police role.
¡°I spoke about alcohol and drug harm and how this affects shearers¡¯ performance and how it always makes the industry look bad.
¡°Drink-driving and family harm were also discussed, as well as how relationships form in the shearing sheds and that, if faced with family violence, it¡¯s vital to stand up and speak out.
¡°I think the shearers found the discussion helpful and I got some good questions and comments which showed they were genuinely interested.¡±
Due to the physical demands of full-time shearing, Dion decided it was time for a change and went into nursing.
He spent time working as a Psychiatric Assistant at Lake Alice, then completed his nursing degree and specialised as a Paediatric Nurse at MidCentral Health. He later became a community psychiatric nurse, working with youth and community agencies.
¡°After nursing I decided to become a police officer which was something I always wanted to do,¡± he says. ¡°It¡¯s been over 11 years in the job now and I really enjoy what I do every day.¡±
While Dion sheared part-time after leaving shearing, he no longer actively competes in show shearing, but still occasionally puts down his notebook and picks up his shears.
¡°I still have my shearing kit and shear about 100 sheep a year to keep me honest!¡±