SEVEN fresh-faced police officers yesterday reported for duty as they moved in to the Oxley, Barwon and New England commands they’ll call home for the next 12 months.
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After inductions, the probationary constables begin the practical components of their policing studies.
The Tamworth-based Oxley command has four new recruits, including a former jockey and a university student.
Three are female and Oxley commander Superintendent Clint Pheeney said they’ll join the 30 per cent of officers made up of women in this command, who serve across the Tamworth, Gunnedah, Quirindi and Walcha areas.
Probationary Constable Alyce Russell, originally from Narromine, has also studied criminology at the University of New England (UNE) in Armidale.
She said she always wanted to come back to the region after completing her policing studies because she enjoyed her regional experience at UNE so much.
Constable Russell said she found the fitness side of the academy difficult, but the academic side was great.
Although she has been to Tamworth before, she said she didn’t remember it being so big.
Probationary Constable Sean Anderson, 42, originally came from Wee Waa and has been living in Tamworth for the past three years.
He will be stationed in Tamworth for six weeks before finally making the move to Gunnedah.
Constable Anderson said he had had a long-term job with a local fertiliser company and just thought it was time to join the force.
“I finally had the opportunity to do it,” he said.
At Gunnedah he will be joined by fellow recruit Probationary Constable Jemma Galea, who is glad to be back home after the intense learning experience.
Constable Galea is ready to start her policing career and doesn’t want attention drawn to the tragedy of losing her step-father, Senior Constable David Rixon, who died earlier this year.
She said the Goulburn experience had its challenges, such as tactical weapons training in simulated situations and 6km runs in the cold, but overall she learnt a lot and made new friends.
She will commence at Gunnedah tomorrow, but admitted she had only been there once in her life before and might get lost.
Probationary Constable Lisa Milne said she was glad to start but it would be difficult being away from her eight-year-old son, who was being looked after by his grandparents while she set up their new life in Tamworth.
The former jockey grew up on a farm near Armidale and said she appreciated support from the academy teachers and even though she found some components hard, failure hadn’t been an option.
The recruits will continue studying by distance education over the next year.
Superintendent Pheeney said it was good to get them on the job so they could hit the ground running.
He said their operational duties would begin after they were inducted today.
“From tomorrow, they’ll be available for deployment,” he said.
“They’ll be doing general duties work on day and night shifts.”
The New England LAC, which serves areas around Armidale, Inverell, Glen Innes and Tenterfield, welcomed Probationary Constable Kate Ivey, originally from Ben Lomond just south of Glen Innes, yesterday and she begins operational duties today.
New England duty officer Inspector Rod Shoesmith said the new recruit had told him she was extremely enthused and excited about being part of the command.
“And commencing a long career in the NSW police force,” he said.
The Barwon LAC, serving areas including Moree, Narrabri, Wee Waa and Boggabilla, also welcomed its two new recruits.
