Superintendent Glen Pointing also plans to be “out and about”, visiting the stations across the vast district which follows along the entire NT border from Birdsville to Doomadgee. 

Superintendent Pointing visited Mount Isa on Tuesday while he was on leave, so he could attend the police district’s award ceremony at the Good Shepherd Catholic Church.

He also met with the northern region’s Chief Superintendents Brett Schafferius, predecessor Kev Guteridge, the district’s acting superintendent Chris Hodgman, and acting inspector Brad Inskip. 

Superintendent Pointing has recently worked in policing of the Commonwealth Games. Before this he was based in Logan. His family have been in policing, including his father, and two brothers. One brother has retired while the other is deputy Commissioner Brett Pointing. 

“I have previously worked in remote communities over the years,” Superintendent Pointing said. 

“What you find in remote communities in our job is you need to be very self-sufficient upon each other, and I just want to carry on the good work the previous district officer did. 

“The police men and women here are fantastic people and a lot of them are new to the district. 

“A lot of them come from city areas so we have to look after our own people as well, and there are always challenges in that.” 

His predecessor is Chief Superintendent Guteridge, who recently was promoted to his new role based in Townsville. 

The Chief Superintendent started as Mount Isa’s Superintendent, replacing Russell Miller, in March last year. 

Chief Superintendent Guteridge had “mixed emotions” about leaving Mount Isa for his new role. He had intended on taking on retired Inspector Trevor Kidd’s length of time working as a district officer, of 10 years. 

“We are in a really wonderful position to see young people that have never left areas like Brisbane or the Gold Coast service communities such as Doomadgee, Mornington Island and Normanton,”  Superintendent Guteridge said. 

“It’s a real privilege to see how they adapt to those environments and fit into those communities up there, and provide a really outstanding service. 

“And the strength of the people and the invitations to police to be part of those communities, it’s really overwhelming. 

“You do not get that a lot in the larger cities in the state.”