Vryheid top cop, Allan Westermeyer, calls it a day after 43 years

FOR 43-years, Lieutenant Colonel Allan Westermeyer left for work in the morning not knowing if he was going to return home to his family that night.

He has suffered the tragedy of having fellow police officers being shot and killed in front of him, and was once involved in a four-hour shootout with coldblooded criminals.

In one of the special operations he was involved in, 103 illegal firearms were recovered. He has received numerous death threats following the countless drug raids he conducted and hardened criminals he has put behind bars.

“If you are scared, you cannot be a policeman,” says Lt. Col. Westermeyer. “It is not an easy job. You are always in danger. It is always in the back of your mind that you can be here one day and, the next day, you’re gone.”

Yet Lt. Col. Westermeyer adds, “If I could have my life over, I would be a police officer again.”

With four weeks to go to retirement, Lt. Col. Westermeyer is thankful for every opportunity he has had to serve and protect the community.

Motivated by his older brother and his brother-in-law, who were also police officers, Lt. Col. Westermeyer joined the police service on March 4, 1975, at the age of 16.

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He was first stationed in Eshowe, and attended the police college in Pretoria in 1976, before being sent to Ovamboland in Namibia.

“I was in Oshakati from 1976 till 1978. Thereafter, I was stationed at the Security Branch in Windhoek until 1984.”

In 1984, Lt. Col. Westermeyer returned to the Vryheid Police Station, where he would serve until the end of his career.

“I was the Commander at Crime Intelligence from 1984 till 1996. Then I became the Commander of Vispol (Visible Policing).”

Love would blossom on Lt. Col. Westermeyer’s return to Vryheid, and he married the woman of his dreams, former station commander at Hlobane, Sienie, in 1984.

Together, they have two daughters, twin sons and two grandsons.

“I would like to thank my wife for backing me up completely. Being a police officer herself, she always understood when I was called out. She made sure that I either had a packed lunch or money to buy something to eat every day and I couldn’t have done it without her.

“I also want to thank my children for their support, and the policemen that I work with. They are good men.

“I am grateful that the ‘Big Man’s’ hand has been over me. During the big operations, we begin with a prayer that all the members return safely, but we accepted that everybody has their time. In this line of work, I can tell you that there is definitely an ‘Almighty’ that looks out for us.”

Lt. Col. Westermeyer intends to spend his retirement doing woodwork, gardening, rock and surf fishing, and touring South Africa.

“All good things come to an end,” concluded Lt. Col. Westermeyer. “I am lucky to have the opportunity to go on pension and to spend the days I have left touring with my wife. It will be strange not to put on a uniform and go to work, but I intend to keep myself busy.”