Victoria Police

Remember Blue Heelers? It was that very TV show (and a few war movies) that landed Senior Constable Eamon Hale where he is today – an Operational Safety Tactics Training (OSTT) Instructor posted to the Police Academy with a longstanding Army career to back it.  Even before he finished high school, Eamon dreamed of joining the Army. By 17, he was an M113A1 driver in the Royal Australian Armoured Corps and thereafter, moved on to achieve great things (deploying to aid war-torn countries being one of them).  But after 13 years of service, he found himself in search of a different challenge with more stability. The search led him to Victoria Police where he served the Mornington Peninsula community instead. “It just made sense to switch one uniform for another and continue serving but in a different way.” To this day, with the support of his supervisors and peers, Eamon continues his commitment to country as an Army Reservist at Capability Acquisitions Sustainment Group. Like many other members who are ADF Reservists, Eamon does it all with grace and pride, donning two sets of uniforms that typify service.  “I love the people I get to work with, and the job we do. Policing can be a hugely stressful and at times a traumatic job, so for me, Army is almost like going back to my safe space. I can continue to contribute to Australia’s national defence whilst helping to police the community I live in. That’s really special.” It goes without saying, Victoria Police hosts a diverse workforce. Our members, despite fronting what is already a challenging career, somehow in their spare moments continue to achieve wondrous things.  You can read the full interview with Eamon below.

When Detective Leading Senior Constable Anna Wiatr was welcomed into Australia with open arms after moving from Poland, she wanted to give back to the community. So, how did she do it? She joined Victoria Police. Now working as a Detective out of the Multidisciplinary Centre in Dandenong, supporting victims of sexual offences, child abuse and family violence – we would say she’s definitely achieved that goal. But the generosity doesn’t stop there! When the pandemic began, Anna saw another opportunity to show her support for her community. She started donating blood (that’s right, she’s an all-round life saver). Anna gets a lot of joy out of receiving the email from Lifeblood with how many lives her donation has made (it’s 3 lives each blood donation if you were wondering 😉). “I’m helping people that really need it and it makes you feel great!”. Has Anna’s story inspired you to become a lifesaver yourself? Now’s the time to join Victoria Police: https://lnkd.in/g6mFk9Wd Or donate blood! Find a donor centre near you via the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood app. Be sure to choose ‘Victoria Police’ as your team, to go towards our Emergency Services Blood drive tally. 🩸

Champ turns 7! 🐶🎈 Our beloved support dog Champ celebrated his 7th birthday last week (that's 49 in hooman years) by enjoying a very special cake! 🎂 It is well deserved after the dedicated support and companionship he gives to Victoria Police and Australian Federal Police officers based within the Victorian Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team (JACET). Thanks to Tessa Stowe at K9Support, we're lucky enough to have our four-legged friends to lean on when needed. 🥰 #K9support #engagementdog #policedog #dog #birthday

Final call! 📣 This is your last chance to register your interest for our upcoming ‘A Day in the Life of a Police Officer’ online webinar. Join us tomorrow night online to hear from current officers about what a typical day looks like as a police officer. All the details, including how to register are below. See you online!

Thanks to everyone who joined us at our Mildura recruitment last month! We had a great time at Mildura Park Run, Mildura Central, Bunnings, Mildura South Football Precinct and Mildura Recreational Reserve. Big shout out to our supporters that helped make the day happen. 😊 If you missed out - we're coming back! Join us for our first Mildura Police Careers Expo on Sunday 15 September at the Mildura Sporting Precinct from 10am. If you're considering any role a Victoria Police, this is your opportunity to find out if it's the right fit for you. Registration is free and essential. Details here > https://lnkd.in/gVr3KyCq See you there!! 👋

Detective Acting Sergeant Leigh Miller has always been one to take on hurdles in his career – and prior to policing, that’s exactly what he did. 👮🏃 Starting in ‘little athletics’ at a very young age, Leigh grew up on the running track “mainly just to feel fit”, before it saw him competing in 400m sprints all around the world. Leigh achieved a list of accolades on the track, winning state and national titles in 400m hurdles, landing him a spot at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, where he lined up against world record holder Edwin Moses. “I ran stride for stride with him for the first 8 hurdles (300m) and have a great photo where we were level at the top of the final straight. I was not overawed by him, rather I felt privileged to race against him. He had not lost a race in almost 10 years, and although I ran well, I didn’t alter that record 😂” Nowadays, Leigh uses the same stamina and commitment in his detective work, leaving nothing in the tank and no stone un-turned. As a nine-year veteran in the Major Collision Investigation Unit, Leigh is drawn to the investigative challenges and using the specialist equipment to capture evidence. “I take pride in my work. The concerning part of a hit-run collision is they make a conscious decision to try and conceal their involvement. Thankfully, we always catch them in the end and that is a rewarding result.”

You do not have to wait 24 hours to report someone as missing.    The first 24 hours after a person’s disappearance are the most crucial. The sooner police can follow-up leads, such as the availability of CCTV footage, the more likely the person will be found safe.    It is important to give the police all the facts and circumstances related to the disappearance, including search efforts already made by you and others. Relevant information may include intimate or private details regarding the missing person or their lifestyle.    If you have concerns for someone’s safety and welfare, and their whereabouts is unknown, you can file a missing person’s report at your local police station. #NationalMissingPersonsWeek #MissingPerson #AlwaysSearching If you have any information on a missing person call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report at www.crimestoppers.com.au 

Last week, PSO Sergeant Graeme Crisp was Guard Commander for the very last time, after an incredible 26 years as a Protective Services Officers and 27 years as Shrine Guard. With three generations of Army personnel in his blood and as a reservist himself, Graeme was naturally drawn to Shrine Guard role. He was honoured when, as part of his role, he got to fly to France to honour police colleagues that had served in the first world war. “My grandfather had served in France on the western front, so to trace his footsteps was a great experience and to see the memorials and the areas they had to fight in was a moving experience.” Now after nearly three decades in uniform, Graeme’s looking forward to time with family and friends, as well as a few rounds on the golf course. A huge congratulations to Graeme, who finished his dedicated and illustrious career at Victoria Police last week.

Tossing up between getting a university education or joining the force? Now you can do both. In a joint venture with Monash University, the Bachelor of Criminology and Policing delivers a new pathway where students can study to become a police officer while gaining a degree in a criminal justice. Over the three-year program, you'll complete the core requirements of the Monash Bachelor of Criminology before applying to undertake a Diploma of Policing at the Victoria Police Academy in your final year. Monash student Jonathan, who will become the course’s first student to graduate from the Academy later this year, said the course offered the best of both worlds after switching from a straight criminology degree in 2022. If you’re interested in learning more about the course, Victoria Police staff will be attending Monash University’s open days this weekend at its Caulfield and Clayton campuses. Pop by our stall to get more information one-on-one. #policecareers #criminology #universitydegree #monashuniversity

Glued to the TV watching our Aussies win gold in the pool? Well, so is our very own Olympian, Senior Constable Belinda Hocking 🏊♀️👮♀️ After a ten-year swimming career that saw her compete at three Olympic Games, as well as win multiple World Championships and Commonwealth Games medals, Belinda was searching for her next calling. A year after hanging up the goggles, Belinda had a “light bulb moment” 💡 when a police car with its sirens on passed her on her way to her desk job. She felt an adrenaline rush that she hadn’t experienced since competing and applied for a job at Victoria Police that night. Now a mum of two, Belinda works part-time in the Transit Division. She loves the diversity and teamwork that the role offers, which are not too dissimilar from her swimming career. “Sport and policing are similar is so many more ways than I thought. You have a coach and a supportive team. You’re a shift worker, you’re up early training and every day is different.” Belinda is also thankful for the amount of travel she did as an athlete, as it has given her the skills and understanding required as a police officer to deal with people from all walks of life. “We deal with different people every day on the job and a part of this is helping them is to understand who they are, where they come from and what is important to them.” For an extra bit of luck before jumping in the pool, Belinda would paint her nails green and gold – so we’ll be doing the same as we cheer on our Aussie athletes for the next couple of weeks. AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE! 🟢🟡 Australian Olympic Committee