Top cop resigns to work in US

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MOSSEL BAY NEWS - A highly decorated Mossel Bay police officer has resigned to take up a job in agriculture in Nebraska in the United States.

Warrant Officer Arno Cloete, of the Sea Border Unit, received a number of awards including ones for bravery and made newspaper headlines during his career.

Cloete had been stationed at the Sea Border Unit since 1998, as a warrant officer. The Mossel Bay Advertiser spoke to Cloete last week while he was waiting at Chicago airport for an interconnecting flight.

Aged 47, fit and healthy, Cloete is nowhere near retiring and is ready for a new adventure, he says. "I'm resigning after 28 years of faithful service."

PHOTO GALLERY: Warrant Officer Arno Cloete off to America

He received the Silver Star for Bravery after assisting with arresting a group of armed cash in transit robbers in KwaNonqaba after a robbery on the N2 highway in 2001.

In 2009 he received the Mayor's Honour Bravery, ATKV Bravery and NSRI Directors' Thanks awards for rescuing a crew member at sea in extremely difficult conditions after a fishing trawler capsized.

It was called the Mandi incident. Cloete enrolled in the police in January 1994 and underwent Basic Training at Oudtshoorn Training Academy.

After Basics he was sent to Verdrag Farm at Thabazimbi for SWAT and Specialised Riot Control training.

He was then stationed at Unit 19 (Internal Stability Unit, Pretoria) and attended to crowd management incidents and did border duty. During service at Unit 19, Cloete also qualified as an operational medic.

Proficient on land and sea

He said: "Since childhood I wanted to become a pilot. It was my dream to fly in helicopters.

"I applied to National Airwing and made the short list. After completing the training and subjects, I got my wing for helicopter and fixed wing aircraft as an air law enforcement officer (ALEO).

"At the end of my flying contract I was up for another challenge and got the opportunity to go back to my second love, the sea. I went for intensive training at Benoni, Durban and Saldanha to qualify as a class 1 coxswain to operate class 1 vessels.

"Studying the maritime environment, as a 'knowledge expert maritime', I was asked to be part of a group of five who presented a maritime learning programme to the police, training officers at all ports.

"During this period I also gave firearm and tactical training as a range officer to police and neighbourhood watches."

Cloete was born in Oudtshoorn. Both his parents are from Mossel Bay.

Love for nature

"My love for nature and the protection of endangered species had me on numerous anti-poaching operations within and outside our land and sea borders.

"I also had the opportunity to assist with the safe passage of a 300m-long vessel from the Mediterranean, Suez Channel, Red Sea and Gulf of Aden to Muscat.

"I was given the opportunity to work in the US agriculture sector with my two brothers in Nebraska. This will be a new challenge, gaining knowledge, exploring a new country and meeting new people."

Cloete is living in a small town called Tilden and hopes to be part of its volunteer fire and rescue team.

In his spare time he enjoys kayak fishing and fishing with his father.

He said: "My whole career in the police I made into an adventure." Finding how to overcome many challenges was part of the adventure. He attended to complaints as a trained police officer, but with a "human perspective". Cloete concludes: "Be kind to others and if you don't have anything to give, give them some of your time."