After an inspirational career with the Queensland Police Service (QPS), Senior Constable John Kenworthy is retiring and has been piped out of Mango Hill North Lakes Station.
Senior Constable Kenworthy began his service in 2011 and was stationed at Mackay in 2020 when his life changed forever.
Senior Constable Kenworthy was among the officers responding to reports of a serious traffic crash on Mount Charlton Road in Mount Charlton on August 9th 2011.
He was riding a police motorcycle when he crashed into a barbed wire fence, sustaining serious injuries to his eyes. As a result, Senior Constable Kenworthy became legally blind.
He returned to work at Mackay Station in early 2021 and relocated to Mango Hill North Lakes Station a few months later, where he has served since.
“I had to get my head around technology,” he says.
I had to get my head around walking around stations that I’ve really never been into before, I didn’t know the ins and outs of where everything was. But I learned pretty quick.
“The support from all ranks in the QPS has been fantastic.”
Senior Constable Kenworthy says while he hasn’t had a typical policing career, he’s incredibly proud of his contributions to the organisation.
“Just the fact that when I was operational in the road policing area of the organisation, I could change people’s lives by just explaining things to do with road safety, different risks that people don’t expect.”
As for what his retirement plans are, Senior Constable Kenworthy will be keeping busy.
“We’re planning on travelling next year. I play guitar so I want to do some recording of original songs and lyrics. We’re doing a podcast.”
But what he’s most excited about is setting a volunteer program with local hospitals.
“So that I can go and talk to people who are in circumstances similar to mine and just explain to them that it’s not the end of the earth. You’re not losing everything in life because you’ve lost one thing. You can still manage a really fulfilled life, despite what your injury might be.”
At his piping out ceremony last week, Senior Constable Kenworthy was also awarded the National Medal, the National Police Service Medal and the Queensland Police Exemplary Conduct Medal.
