I think deep down he just enjoyed being "forced to stay out drinking" late at night with police to "build relationships for better information" much more than actually being with his kids.
The way he wrote made it super clear he was in love with his own voice.

It was all very funny, because there was this higher ranking... I think detective or someone he became friends with. This older dude. He really respected that man. But that dude still had time to be with his child. He developed cancer and died, but he was there for his family still, while our journo just couldn't be arsed.