KIM Ensinger may have been at work for his 60th birthday but he had no chance of colleagues missing the milestone.
The senior constable left Redland Bay police station flanked by an honour guard to mark the occasion, which doubled as his last day on the job.
While the night shifts have ended, Mr Ensinger said there would be aspects he missed – mainly, his mates and the camaraderie between officers at work.
“It’s the friendships you make on the way,” he said.
Queensland police officers are required to leave the force by their 60th birthday unless they are in commissioned roles.
Mr Ensinger plans to pack up his caravan to travel Australia in his retirement years with wife Dianne, a phlebotomist.
While he wanted to become a history teacher after leaving school, Mr Ensinger never regretted becoming a police officer.
He said his work had taken him to Thursday Island, Cairns, Cooktown and Smithfield in northern Queensland.
He encouraged young people to consider the job, describing it as interesting and varied.
“There’s never a dull moment,” he said.
Acting officer-in-charge Senior Sergeant Graham Hedges said Mr Ensinger would be sorely missed after serving five years at the Redland Bay station and almost 38 years with Queensland police.
He said Mr Ensinger was a capable and well-liked general duties cop, who had also taken charge of the station’s equipment and vehicle maintenance.
