Police cover-up allegations: Profile of Rob Robinson

To those who know him through newspaper, radio and television reports, he is Rob Robinson. To family, friends and colleagues he is "Robbie."

Mr Robinson, 52, wanted to be a veterinarian, not a policeman, when he was a young man. And he never desired the top job after joining the police, though he did want to rise to executive management.

In August 2000, he told the Sunday Star-Times: "I'm actually on record as saying that if you aspired to be the Commissioner of Police, you needed your head read."

One of his former colleagues says Mr Robinson is "honest, and very upfront, and very good to deal with. He's energetic, and he knows where he's going: he's got an urgency."

In the interview with the Sunday Star-Times, after Constable Keith Abbott was cleared of wrongdoing in shooting Steven Wallace dead in Waitara, Mr Robinson was described as a practised politician who knew "how to blunt thorny issues with a blur of platitudes".

Mr Robinson was a late baby - he was born when his parents were both well into their 40s and already had three girls.

He remembers fondly his schooldays at Timaru Boys High School from 1963 to 1967, although he once told the Timaru Herald that he was a "plodder" both in the classroom and on the sports field.

He worked part-time after school for a vet and in a trotting stable, and wanted to be a trotting driver, influenced by his grandfather, a trainer. But his father vetoed that.

Mr Robinson went to Massey University in Palmerston North to become a vet, but switched to a science degree. He married at the age of 20 (he and wife Isabel have two adult children - daughter Kate is a nationally ranked rower).

In 1973, Mr Robinson decided to join the police, but was initially turned down. A medical revealed that he had a melanoma, which later led to several operations and treatment for secondary cancer in the lymph glands. He finally joined the police in 1975.

Mr Robinson's career spans 25 years and has included posts as Hutt district area commander and Midlands region commander, involvement in the 1992 merger of police and traffic officers, heading the police Apec operation in 1999, and America's Cup operations.

He helped set up the crime prevention unit of the Prime Minister's department and became commissioner in June 2000.

In May 2001, after a Mangakino policeman was fired when convicted of rape - he was later cleared at a retrial - Mr Robinson said: "Integrity is an important part of who we are and what we do. Any conduct by police officers that is inappropriate in the public eye erodes public confidence."

Rob (Robbie) Robinson, 52

* 1975: Starts police training.

* 1993: Superintendent, Hutt district.

* September 1997: Regional commissioner, Midland region, based in Rotorua.

* January 2000: Acting Commissioner after Peter Doone forced to fall on his sword.

* June 2000: Commissioner of Police.