IT WAS a wet start to their first day on the job, but it didn’t dampen the spirits of Tamworth’s newest boys in blue.
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Tamworth Police Station welcomed five new officers to its ranks on Monday, fresh from graduating from Goulburn Police College.
The men hail from all parts of NSW, but there was one local among them in Probationary Constable Sean Tilley.
The 23-year-old father of three said he was happy to be working in Tamworth, where his family is based, and he was looking forward to getting on with the job.
While being a local would certainly be an advantage on his first day, the new constable said there was still a lot to learn.
“I’m sure there’s a lot more to learn with a new career but I have been around in the traps in this town, so I’ll hopefully know what’s going on a little bit,” he said.
“The hardest part [about Goulburn] was making sure my family was fine back home. I worked alongside with my colleagues down there and they helped me through it but my family was the main concern for me.”
Meanwhile, Probationary Constable Travis Ling, who hails from Maitland, said he was excited to work in a regional city like Tamworth, which was one of his first choices to call home.
“It’s an exciting town to come to. The local area command seems like a pretty good place to work so I’m looking forward to getting out on the streets,” he said.
“It was one of my preferences to come here. I’ve always been inspired by what police officers do, not just in Australia but around the world. It’s something I’ve wanted to do since I was in high school.
“I wanted to go country, I didn't think I’d be suited to the city. Tamworth is a growing town and there’s a lot here so that was the big thing for me.”
Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson was on hand to meet and greet the officers and told them he was appreciative of the service they would bring to the local community.
“Our local officers do a fantastic job and I am sure they will also welcome the support in numbers to their ranks. My message to them is that this is a great community and that they have my full support,” he said.
Oxley Local Area Command duty officer, Inspector Kylie Endemi, said the officers, who would be involved in field training for the next 12 weeks, had the best possible mentors in Tamworth police.
“Oxley LAC is exceptionally placed in terms of facilitating new probationary constables. We have the highest calibre of officers here that will teach these officers on the ground, teach them the tools of the trade and certainly show them the best in terms of country policing.”
