Deputy Commissioner Pointing joined the Queensland Police Service in 1978 as a Cadet and was inducted into the QPS in 1981. In his career as a Detective he performed duty in a variety of squads, including the Drug Squad, the Stock Investigation Squad, Taringa and Fortitude Valley Criminal Investigation Branches, and Brisbane City CI Branch.
Deputy Commissioner Pointing was awarded the Australian Police Medal in the 2008 Queen’s Honours List. He has been awarded the Queensland Police Service Medal, National Service Medal, National Police Medal, National Emergency Medal, Meritorious Service Award and the Queensland Flood and Cyclone Citation.