Victoria Police

First Constable Darlene Hatchett doesn't shy away from a career change - or ostriches for that matter! Having moved from Zimbabwe to Australia a few years ago, Darlene knows that nothing is ever certain at the end of each day. But what she does know is that in joining Victoria Police, she has been able to give back to her community, while enjoying both job security and job satisfaction at the same time. You’ll find Darlene stationed out in Robinvale, where she's able to enjoy exactly what she was looking for – a work-life balance. Some of the benefits of country policing that Darlene enjoys are the short walk to work and enjoying the perks of living near the river on her days off - allowing her to paddle, fish and camp whenever she likes! Country policing has a lot to offer, with opportunities for professional development, reduced living costs and flexible rostering (just to name a few). Oh, and sometimes it means you may even run into some of the more feathery members of the public.

An ‘R U OK?’ conversation can change a life. Meet Carlee. Her and her husband, Mark, are both current police officers with over 45 years’ experience between them. They’re also parents to four children, and self-proclaimed outdoor enthusiasts. They are also passionate about R U OK’s ‘Are They Triple OK’ campaign, developed in response to Beyond Blue’s ‘Answering the Call’ study - which found police and emergency services personnel report suicidal thoughts more than twice as often as adults in the general population. Even the most resilient police and emergency services personnel can be affected by stress and trauma related to their work or other life challenges. It's important to have a supportive network to reach out to. Family, friends and co-workers can help when you feel you may be struggling and can make a world of difference during difficult times. If you notice someone you care about is struggling, check in with them and ask, “Are you OK?” - no qualifications needed. Visit Victoria Police’s wellbeing website, Bluespace, for more info and resources on mental health and wellbeing > https://lnkd.in/g53BGPdE R U OK provide resources and tips on how to check in with family and friends who work in emergency services. Read more about Carlee and Mark’s story, including some of the challenges faced by those working in emergency services, how they navigate these as a couple and parents, and how family and friends can check in on emergency service personnel. > https://lnkd.in/eYwZian9

Senior Constable Dani Lowry is a country cop and mum, and she loves being both. Dani grew up in Swan Hill and worked at Mildura Police Station for around seven years after joining Victoria Police in 2017. Earlier this year, she moved an hour down the road to Ouyen Police Station to be closer to home, where she’s married to a local farmer. Dani speaks highly of working in the country and the community benefits that come with regional policing. “Working in Ouyen I literally know everyone, and everyone knows me ... Going to get a coffee down the street takes at least half an hour because the locals all want to stop and chat to you.” Asides from being a police officer, Dani loves being a mum to her two children Hamish and Willow. She’s very grateful for the support from the other members at Ouyen Station, where they “are like a big family.” They have been flexible and supportive in Dani’s return to work, allowing her to pop home to breastfeed Willow or express at work in a safe and comfortable space. On a few occasions Dani has been caught up at work and her boss, Sergeant Peter Mcnair, has picked up Hamish from Kinder. Not without buying some lollies or chocolates on the way back to the station, of course (see photo evidence)! The appreciation extends to Hamish, who invited 'Big Pete' to his fourth birthday party this year. Dani’s advice to mums returning to work: seek advice from other mums and find out what works for them, chat to your boss to organise flexible arrangements, and (perhaps most importantly) put your child on a childcare waitlist at birth! Interested in a career in policing? Well, what are you up to this Sunday, 15 September? We’re hosting our first regional police careers expo in Mildura. Police, both general duties and specialist units, and members from our recruitment team will be there to chat and answer your questions. Dani was asked to help at the expo, but she has her sister’s Hens party – as the Maid of Honour, we’ll forgive her! Click the link for more info on the Mildura Expo > https://lnkd.in/gVr3KyCq #CountryPolicing #Careers #PoliceCareers

Got five? Meet Sergeant Iglay (Iggy) In his nearly 10 years at Victoria Police – first joining as a PSO before transitioning to a police officer in early 2018 – Iggy Dangassat has certainly made an impression. With stints across Reservoir, Craigieburn, Flemington, Fawkner, and now Melbourne West, it’s evident in speaking with Iggy that he’s a community man. “I enjoy serving the members of the public and I try to challenge myself every time I work with the public to leave a positive impact.” As a Sergeant, he's found joy in supervising team members and mentoring junior members, helping guide them to reach their full potential. This passion for people is further reflected in one of Iggy’s greatest personal achievements since joining the organisation: being part of the Victorian Police African Employee Network (VICPOLAEN). VICPOLAEN is a platform for employees of African heritage and allies at Victoria Police to connect, share lived experiences and contribute to policy development on issues relevant to African Australian Victoria Police employees and the African Australian community. For Iggy, it’s also a safe space which contributes to educating members of non-African heritage and help them understand the culture, which is critical to front-line members when responding to jobs involving African Australian community members. His decision to join the force was first inspired while working for Justice Health, where he witnessed some of the challenges faced with the African Australian community and understood he had to do more. “Having visibility of the diversity in our members is significant. Sharing our experiences helps us and those of non-African backgrounds understand the challenges faced by our communities, which in turn allows organisations to implement initiatives that foster better understanding and collaboration.” VICPOLEAN is one of many employee networks within Victoria Police. Learn more about our commitment to growing a diverse workplace: https://lnkd.in/gySjnwVR

Did you know that Mildura is home to around 85% of Australia’s grape exports? Sounds like more than enough reason to go and visit – just like we are! In case you missed it, we’re taking our careers expo regional and heading to Mildura this Sunday. This is your opportunity to speak with local members, as well as staff from our recruitment team, to learn exactly what life is like on the job and get some helpful hints on how to ace your application. We’ll also have officers from specialist units around to give insight into the opportunities available to you after you finish your general duties. Info sessions will also be running throughout the day, where you will hear from current officers on their favourite parts of the job, and their best advice for those thinking of a policing career. There will also be a Q&A session where you can ask them the questions you’ve been holding on to. There are goodie bags for the first 50 people to check-in, so get in quick! Registration’s essential, find all the details > https://lnkd.in/g743GdC4 See you there 👋

A big thanks to everyone that took part in this year’s Community Sentiment Survey, helping us to identify the issues that matter most to you and your local community. The survey, which ran during the month of May, received more than 13,000 responses. The key issues identified by the Victorian community were: 👮♂️ Safety in public places 🔐 Safety of property and possessions 💉 Drugs and alcohol related issues Police will work with their partners to come up with initiatives to address your safety concerns in line with our Neighbourhood Policing Framework. Victoria Police will continue to target and detect offenders, but there are number of things you can do to help keep your home and property secure. 🔒 Lock all your doors at home including cars, garage doors, windows, gates and sheds 🔑 Don’t leave spare keys outside – that rock is an obvious hiding spot! 👀 Keep your valuables like wallets and keys out of sight at home 🚗 Don’t leave valuables in your car More tips on how to secure your home and property ➡ https://lnkd.in/g8A8xtQw

Leading Senior Constable Rod Charman wanted to join Victoria Police ever since he was in school. Now, he’s an Operational Safety Tactical Training (OSTT) instructor in Mildura with 22 years of experience under his belt.  But Rod’s commitment to his community didn’t stop there. Following the footsteps of his grandfathers who served in WW2 and North Africa, he joined the Australian Army as a Rifleman in 1992. To this day, Rod serves as a military instructor in the Army Reserve.  Like many other Victoria Police members, Rod proves that commitment to country and community should know no bounds. “To me service means giving back to my community, whether it is in green or blue, and I have a philosophy that the right person in the right place at the right time can possibly change the world and I feel at times I have been able to achieve that for someone in the community.” 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 great things. You can read the full interview with Rod below.

When we heard about this story, we knew we had to share it. 💙 Late last year, Ozana stumbled across a shopping trolley with $10,000 inside in a Coburg car park on her way to work. Without hesitation, Ozana dropped the trolley and cash at Fawkner Police Station later that day. The investigation then fell into Senior Sergeant Rob Henderson's hands. After some extensive police work over months, Rob was able to contact the daughter of the owner of the cash, Dina, and return the money. Dina’s mum, who has dementia, had forgotten she’d withdrawn the money. Last week, Dina was able to thank Ozana and Rob in person and they bonded over their shared joy in knowing the money was returned to its owner. #CommunityPolicing #Community

Air wing, Highway Patrol, Mounted Branch, Detectives and Water Police. You may be already familiar with some of our specialist squads and areas – now's your chance to meet some of them. On 8 October, we’re hosting an information session specifically for those wanting to learn about the career pathways available to them at Victoria Police, and how you can get there. Stay tuned to find out which specialist units will be attending, and in the meantime, register your attendance as spots are limited. See you there!

A career with Victoria Police was not on Constable Bailey Edgerton’s mind when he finished his criminology degree. He found himself asking ‘Where to from here?’, and it was the lure of a ‘fun and exciting’ job that eventually led him to policing. With recruits now able to nominate a country location to work in once graduating, Bailey saw it as the perfect opportunity to return to his country roots after a few years away studying and for work. Born and raised in Horsham, Bailey knows the regional city and its locals inside out. This has helped him build trust and rapport with the community, even with individuals known to police who he says are “generally respectful and don’t cause any issues” when he runs into them.⁣ Now over six months in, he’s quickly learned that being a country cop means thinking on your feet and being resourceful. “One aspect I really enjoy about country policing is getting to work alongside various specialist units, such as the crime investigation unit, family violence investigation unit, and sexual offences and child abuse investigation team.” His advice to anyone interested in a policing career is to speak to local officers about what the job involves and familiarise themselves with the recruitment process. If this is you, our upcoming regional police careers expo in Mildura is the perfect opportunity to do just that. Meet and speak with local members about their policing experience and learn more about benefits (there’s plenty!) of country policing on Sunday 15 September. Event details including how to register, visit > https://lnkd.in/gVr3KyCq