Retired cop Gordon Gorton receives OAM in King's Birthday Honours

The Advertiser

3 days ago

From his career as a police officer to his commitment to volunteering, Gordon Gorton has dedicated his life to serving the community.
Now, his service has been recognised with a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2025 King's Birthday Honours for service to the community through a range of service organisations.
The Rutherford resident was a police officer for 35 years who was stationed across the Hunter and at Lithgow, and retired ranked chief inspector at Maitland Police Station.
Mr Gorton said the honour is a very appreciated shock.
"To me it means that some of the work I've done with the community over the years has been recognised," he said.
"You just poke along and do what you're doing and you don't look for accolades, but when you do get an accolade like this you say 'wow, I might have done a bit'."
Whether stationed in Maitland, Cessnock, Lithgow, Scone or Maclean, Mr Gorton has always become involved with local clubs like Apex, and organised many community projects like skate parks and blue light discos, and coached sporting teams.
"You got respect that was the main thing, two-way respect. The community respected you and vice versa," he said.
"People knew who you were, you weren't just the copper down the road, they knew who you were and your values."
In 2002 he was awarded the NSW Police Diligent and Ethical Service Medal.
After retiring, Mr Gorton still felt a strong calling to help the community and volunteered in a number of roles including as an official hospital visitor to mental health patients with NSW Health.
He also served as a juvenile justice conference convenor with the NSW Department of Communities and Juvenile Justice.
"I've always had an interest in mental health and there was an opportunity there to work as an advocate for patients in various mental health institutions, both adult and adolescents in the Hunter Valley area," he said.
A former Cessnock Goannas Rugby League Football Club president, Mr Gorton is still very much a Goanna at heart despite moving to Maitland a few years ago, and is a director on the board of Cessnock Leagues Club.
"Rugby league has always been an interest of mine, and also what I found too from my point of view as a policeman when you go to a particular community, you've got to get involved with that community," he said.
From his career as a police officer to his commitment to volunteering, Gordon Gorton has dedicated his life to serving the community.
Now, his service has been recognised with a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2025 King's Birthday Honours for service to the community through a range of service organisations.
The Rutherford resident was a police officer for 35 years who was stationed across the Hunter and at Lithgow, and retired ranked chief inspector at Maitland Police Station.
Mr Gorton said the honour is a very appreciated shock.
"To me it means that some of the work I've done with the community over the years has been recognised," he said.
"You just poke along and do what you're doing and you don't look for accolades, but when you do get an accolade like this you say 'wow, I might have done a bit'."
Whether stationed in Maitland, Cessnock, Lithgow, Scone or Maclean, Mr Gorton has always become involved with local clubs like Apex, and organised many community projects like skate parks and blue light discos, and coached sporting teams.
"You got respect that was the main thing, two-way respect. The community respected you and vice versa," he said.
"People knew who you were, you weren't just the copper down the road, they knew who you were and your values."
In 2002 he was awarded the NSW Police Diligent and Ethical Service Medal.
After retiring, Mr Gorton still felt a strong calling to help the community and volunteered in a number of roles including as an official hospital visitor to mental health patients with NSW Health.
He also served as a juvenile justice conference convenor with the NSW Department of Communities and Juvenile Justice.
"I've always had an interest in mental health and there was an opportunity there to work as an advocate for patients in various mental health institutions, both adult and adolescents in the Hunter Valley area," he said.
A former Cessnock Goannas Rugby League Football Club president, Mr Gorton is still very much a Goanna at heart despite moving to Maitland a few years ago, and is a director on the board of Cessnock Leagues Club.
"Rugby league has always been an interest of mine, and also what I found too from my point of view as a policeman when you go to a particular community, you've got to get involved with that community," he said.
From his career as a police officer to his commitment to volunteering, Gordon Gorton has dedicated his life to serving the community.
Now, his service has been recognised with a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2025 King's Birthday Honours for service to the community through a range of service organisations.
The Rutherford resident was a police officer for 35 years who was stationed across the Hunter and at Lithgow, and retired ranked chief inspector at Maitland Police Station.
Mr Gorton said the honour is a very appreciated shock.
"To me it means that some of the work I've done with the community over the years has been recognised," he said.
"You just poke along and do what you're doing and you don't look for accolades, but when you do get an accolade like this you say 'wow, I might have done a bit'."
Whether stationed in Maitland, Cessnock, Lithgow, Scone or Maclean, Mr Gorton has always become involved with local clubs like Apex, and organised many community projects like skate parks and blue light discos, and coached sporting teams.
"You got respect that was the main thing, two-way respect. The community respected you and vice versa," he said.
"People knew who you were, you weren't just the copper down the road, they knew who you were and your values."
In 2002 he was awarded the NSW Police Diligent and Ethical Service Medal.
After retiring, Mr Gorton still felt a strong calling to help the community and volunteered in a number of roles including as an official hospital visitor to mental health patients with NSW Health.
He also served as a juvenile justice conference convenor with the NSW Department of Communities and Juvenile Justice.
"I've always had an interest in mental health and there was an opportunity there to work as an advocate for patients in various mental health institutions, both adult and adolescents in the Hunter Valley area," he said.
A former Cessnock Goannas Rugby League Football Club president, Mr Gorton is still very much a Goanna at heart despite moving to Maitland a few years ago, and is a director on the board of Cessnock Leagues Club.
"Rugby league has always been an interest of mine, and also what I found too from my point of view as a policeman when you go to a particular community, you've got to get involved with that community," he said.
From his career as a police officer to his commitment to volunteering, Gordon Gorton has dedicated his life to serving the community.
Now, his service has been recognised with a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2025 King's Birthday Honours for service to the community through a range of service organisations.
The Rutherford resident was a police officer for 35 years who was stationed across the Hunter and at Lithgow, and retired ranked chief inspector at Maitland Police Station.
Mr Gorton said the honour is a very appreciated shock.
"To me it means that some of the work I've done with the community over the years has been recognised," he said.
"You just poke along and do what you're doing and you don't look for accolades, but when you do get an accolade like this you say 'wow, I might have done a bit'."
Whether stationed in Maitland, Cessnock, Lithgow, Scone or Maclean, Mr Gorton has always become involved with local clubs like Apex, and organised many community projects like skate parks and blue light discos, and coached sporting teams.
"You got respect that was the main thing, two-way respect. The community respected you and vice versa," he said.
"People knew who you were, you weren't just the copper down the road, they knew who you were and your values."
In 2002 he was awarded the NSW Police Diligent and Ethical Service Medal.
After retiring, Mr Gorton still felt a strong calling to help the community and volunteered in a number of roles including as an official hospital visitor to mental health patients with NSW Health.
He also served as a juvenile justice conference convenor with the NSW Department of Communities and Juvenile Justice.
"I've always had an interest in mental health and there was an opportunity there to work as an advocate for patients in various mental health institutions, both adult and adolescents in the Hunter Valley area," he said.
A former Cessnock Goannas Rugby League Football Club president, Mr Gorton is still very much a Goanna at heart despite moving to Maitland a few years ago, and is a director on the board of Cessnock Leagues Club.
"Rugby league has always been an interest of mine, and also what I found too from my point of view as a policeman when you go to a particular community, you've got to get involved with that community," he said.