Bundaberg Chief Inspector Grant Marcus piped out after 38 years

Police from across the state gathered at Bundaberg Station on Friday to farewell Bundaberg Patrol Group Chief Inspector Grant Marcus, who is retiring after 38 years with the Queensland Police Service.

Chief Inspector Marcus joined as a recruit at 21 after dreaming of becoming an officer throughout his childhood. He first walked into the academy 38 years ago to the day, and settled in Bundaberg almost 30 years ago.

"I always wanted to be a police officer. I remember playing in the playground in primary school and you'd pretend to be somebody, more often than not I would pretend to be a police officer," he said.

He said the end of this chapter was still hard to believe, and that he was feeling mixed emotions. "A bit of sadness there but generally speaking, I'm feeling quite excited," he said.

Over the decades he has helped lead the response to incidents ranging from fatal crashes to natural disasters. He named the 2013 floods as the most memorable. "Bundaberg was literally torn apart by that flooding and subsequent tornadoes," he said, praising the efforts of emergency services and the community.

Chief Inspector Marcus encouraged anyone considering a career in policing to sign up, calling it one of the most rewarding experiences of his life. "There's a reason we call it a police family," he said.

In retirement, he plans to work through an extensive travel bucket list. His daughter is married and living in London, and his son lives in Sydney. A trip to Western Australia is already booked. He also said he has become hooked on pickleball and is looking forward to playing more each week.

People interested in a policing career can apply via the Queensland Police Service recruitment website.