Country cop retires to life on the land
MATT Carmody is the embodiment of a country cop.
The Dalby sergeant, who will today mark his last official day on active duty, has always preferred small towns and country people to cities, and proudly served those communities for more than 39 years.
The past 18 of those have been in Dalby, the last tenure of a career inspired by his father Eddie Carmody who rose through the ranks to retire as a superintendent.
“I decided to follow in his footsteps although I didn’t reach the lofty heights of a commissioned officer, I am more than happy to be a general duties sergeant,” Sgt Carmody said.
“The country life as a police officer has been right down my alley.
“I think country people are more down to earth.
“The various communities I’ve served in, we have made some wonderful friends.”
His first permanent post was in Goondiwindi where he met his “lovely wife Tracy”, and was followed by positions in Toowoomba, Marburg and Dalby.
It’s been the regional areas where the pair settled down that have benefited from this great-humoured country
‘‘ I THINK COUNTRY PEOPLE ARE MORE DOWN TO EARTH. SERGEANT MATT CARMODY
officer who rode the waves of change throughout the Queensland Police Service.
But the people have always been at the heart of his job.
“I haven’t solved any murders or done anything outstanding but just the little things like supporting people in their hour of need, and their appreciation in return makes it worthwhile,” Sgt Carmody said.
“An example would be when I was in Marburg, I attended a ‘cot death’ which is always traumatic for the family and friends.
“A couple of years later, I ran into that same family and they remembered me, and showed me their two-year-old toddler they had after the death of their little one.”
Despite changes in the QPS, where he “started out with an Olivetti typewriter and have ended up with an iPad”, Sgt Carmody describes policing as a rewarding job.
After a few weeks’ holiday, Sgt Carmody will sign off for the final time later this month before turning his hand to farming a block of land in the Dalby district with his wife Tracy.