However, from the end of this month Sen Sgt Schaedel, the officer in charge of SAPOL's West Coast Service Area Operations North, and his wife Robyn, will be leaving Ceduna for Port Lincoln.

He will become the training development officer at the regional police headquarters.

It is a chance to pass on some of the skills acquired during 10 years as officer in charge at Streaky Bay and almost 11 years at Ceduna, dealing with law breakers, victims of crime, the township and farming communities, the local councils, other government departments - state and federal, and the remote traditional Aboriginal communities.

A career policeman, Sen Sgt Schaedel joined the police straight from school at Loxton in the Riverland. He served in Adelaide and the Riverland before fate played its hand.

"Robyn's father used to come over here (West Coast) fishing. He suggested we come over and have a look," Sen Sgt Schaedel said.

"We did that. A mate in the Fisheries at Port Lincoln organised our stay.

"I can still remember Allan Suter - he was running Highway One in those days - knocking on the door and saying 'I'm supposed to take you out fishing'. That was the start of it."

When the vacancy for a senior constable came up at Streaky Bay Sen Sgt Schaedel applied and won the position.

"The West Coast has been good to me - I've been promoted and I've enjoyed my time here," he said.

While at times frustrated by an inability to attract more police to the West Coast, Sen Sgt Schaedel is proud of the successful crime clean-up rate on his patch averaging about 75 per cent.

"They're a good crew," he said of his team, and noted their "camaraderie and team spirit" as one of his highlights of policing the West Coast.

He has seen policing become less "reactive" and more "proactive", being more "target focussed" and relying more on information compiled on offenders.

Apart from being its top policeman, Sen Sgt Schaedel has also become an integral part of the West Coast communities.

A keen lawn bowler (see story Page 24), he is a member of the Ceduna Bowling Club, and has initiated what are now annual police bowls and golf days.

He is a life member of Streaky Bay Apex - he and Robyn have a house in Streaky Bay - a former chairman of Ceduna's Oysterfest Committee, and a member of the Far West Football Commission.

In his new role he will continue to maintain contact with the communities he has been a part of, visiting police at local stations.

"People will still see me," he said.

n A community farewell barbecue for Sen Sgt Schaedel will be held from 4pm on Saturday, May 17, at the Ceduna Bowling Club. Everyone is invited and the bar will be open.