Training Command - Queensland Police Service - Queensland ...
Training Command - Queensland Police Service - Queensland ...
Training Command - Queensland Police Service - Queensland ...
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Australia <strong>Police</strong>, but I was too<br />
short. They wanted 5’6”, and<br />
I’m only 5’4”, she said.<br />
“Then when I moved to<br />
Brisbane in 1991, I met my<br />
complete life change, but<br />
my family is very proud of<br />
me.”<br />
The PROVE program gives<br />
participants the foundations<br />
to become<br />
a police<br />
officer. The<br />
program<br />
is full<br />
time, with<br />
students<br />
expected to<br />
study and<br />
complete<br />
assignments<br />
in their<br />
own time.<br />
Participants<br />
complete<br />
modules<br />
on topics<br />
Recruits in the PROVE program<br />
prepare for a diverse role as a police<br />
officer learning the right skills through<br />
physical fitness training, practical role<br />
play and theory-based study.<br />
Photos by Sergeant Clint Hanson, <strong>Police</strong> Photographic Section<br />
husband who had<br />
just graduated<br />
from the police<br />
academy. I got<br />
busy working as<br />
a personal trainer<br />
and coach, running<br />
fitness programs<br />
for kids, and raising<br />
two children.<br />
“Now he is a Sergeant with<br />
the South Brisbane Traffic<br />
Branch, our kids are 12 and<br />
14 years old, and I’m ready to<br />
take up the next challenge.<br />
It’s a big commitment and a<br />
such as community safety,<br />
legislation, property, traffic<br />
and juveniles, followed by an<br />
exam and then practical work<br />
based on scenarios and role<br />
play.<br />
To be eligible for PROVE,<br />
applicants need to possess<br />
a tertiary qualification, life<br />
experience and a high level of<br />
fitness.<br />
“I already had a Certificate<br />
III and IV in Fitness plus lots<br />
of life experience, which I<br />
think played a big role in<br />
my application,” Recruit<br />
McLachlan said.<br />
“Physically, it helps if you are<br />
already fit before you come<br />
to the academy.<br />
By the end of<br />
week 15 we are<br />
supposed to<br />
have completed<br />
our ‘triple’—<br />
that’s the<br />
dummy drag,<br />
obstacle course<br />
and ‘beep’<br />
test. If you get<br />
the triple done<br />
early, then you<br />
can concentrate<br />
on your studies without the<br />
added pressure of trying<br />
to get your fitness up to<br />
standard. I did mine in week<br />
five.”<br />
At 44, Recruit McLachlan said<br />
she was the oldest female in<br />
her group, which comprised<br />
21 men and women of varying<br />
ages.<br />
“Despite the age differences,<br />
there’s a great camaraderie<br />
between us, not just within<br />
our group, but with other<br />
groups at the academy.<br />
There’s a good support<br />
network too; we have<br />
Human <strong>Service</strong>s Officers and<br />
Learning Support Officers.<br />
Our facilitators, Sergeant<br />
Miley and Sergeant Cooper,<br />
are terrific. If ever you’ve got<br />
problems you’ve got someone<br />
to talk to.”<br />
In the future, Recruit<br />
McLachlan said she hoped<br />
to combine her passion for<br />
policing with her love of<br />
working with young people.<br />
“I’d love to work with youth,<br />
and can see myself at a station<br />
that is linked to a PCYC,<br />
or even as a school-based<br />
police officer or adopt-acop.<br />
A position in the Child<br />
Protection Investigation Unit is<br />
another option,” she said.<br />
“In hindsight I’m glad I<br />
didn’t do this at 18; I was not<br />
mentally or emotionally ready.<br />
You have to be prepared<br />
and your family has to be<br />
supportive. It will be hard,<br />
there will be challenges along<br />
the way, but it’s a fantastic<br />
thing to do and everybody<br />
I’ve dealt with has been<br />
terrific.”<br />
By Paula Hedemann,<br />
Media and Public Affairs Branch<br />
<strong>Police</strong>Bulletin363 11