To say that Jo Crook-Cowley is the glue that keeps the Inverell Police Station together would be the understatement of the year.
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She has just racked up 32 and a half years service, and is believed to be the longest serving member, including both uniformed and civilian staff, to have worked for the Sapphire City police.
She's received her five, 10 and 25 medals for dedicated and valuable long service with the 30-year medal "on its way", an Olympic Citation and a medal for 150 years of policing - plus much more.
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Her tireless efforts were also specifically given the nod by dignitaries gathered for the new station opening on Monday.
Mrs Crook-Cowley is the only non-sworn member at Inverell's station, and while officially a 'GASO' - general administration support officer - her work goes far beyond that.
Her colleagues describe her as an 'exceptional' person - not just worker - whose perfectionism means nothing falls by the wayside.
New recruits are given a friendly helping hand, everyone who comes to the station is given respect and empathy, and "everyone else looks good" because of all the work she does behind the scenes.
In just one example, she herself made the sandwiches for land search volunteers working in Ashford recently, because she couldn't find them to buy.
"You just have to do what needs to be done," she stated.
Starting back in '89 as a communications operator with no fax, no electric typewriter, things have come a long way.
"I actually got an award at the end of my [12 month] training and there was a sum of money as a reward, and that was used to buy the first typewriter ever for the Inverell station," she laughed.
As the first point of call for many people, she's heard everything and has learned a lot about people.
"But no matter how small it may seem to us, it's a really big deal for the person on the other end," she explained.
At the end of the day, if I can walk away knowing I've helped someone, that's what keeps me here.
- Jo Crook-Cowley
One story she remembers fondly was searching records to find the owner of a wedding ring that was handed in.
It had been lost, on a beach, over 70 years ago.
"At the end of the day, if I can walk away knowing I've helped someone, that's what keeps me here."
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