Commissioner of Police Mervyn Thomas Wood
1977 to 1979
Mervyn Thomas Wood was born in Sydney on 30 April 1917. Â He was the son of a Redfern police sergeant and a former Olympic rower, competing in the 1936, 1948, 1952 and 1956 Olympic Games. Â Wood joined NSW Police as a cadet at the age of 18 on the 29 April 1935.
Police Cadet # 0062. NSWPF Regd. # 4169  Appointed as a Probationary Constable on 30 April 1938.
Wood worked in the Metropolitan Area and Fingerprint Section in 1940 and became Officer-in-Charge of the Fingerprint Section in 1941. Â He later became Officer-in-Charge of No 5. Police Division and Superintendent-in-Charge of Chatswood Police District in 1974.
Wood was appointed Commissioner of Police on 1 January 1977 during a turbulent time of corruption and mishandled murder investigations. Â He resigned in June 1979 because he was concerned “with the effects that such allegations are having on morale, reputation and standing of the NSW Police Force.”