Training Command - Queensland Police Service - Queensland ...

FROM COMMISSIONER ATKINSON
Evolving through
Education and Training
This edition of the Police
Bulletin features the
Education and Training
Command (ETC).
Whilst training and education
have always been an essential
and ongoing part of the
Service, it has until recently
been a part of the Human
Resources Division.
In our organisational structure
the ETC remains properly
within the Corporate Services
stream, reporting to the
Deputy Chief Executive,
Resource Management Mr
Paul Brown.
The ETC will continue to
work closely with the Human
Resources Division as their
roles are closely interwoven.
Former Chief Superintendent
of the Southern Region, Tony
Wright is the first Assistant
Commissioner for the new
ETC. His senior team includes
Chief Superintendent Allan
McCarthy, Ann Motteram and
Superintendents Paul Lostroh
and currently Mark Plath who
is moving to head up the
Strategic Performance Branch.
One of the reasons for
creating the ETC was the
work associated with the
establishment of our new
Academy.
It is currently planned to open
in 2014. This is also our 150th
year (sesqui-centenary) as an
organisation.
The new Academy (Westgate)
at Wacol is well positioned
to enable future growth and
accommodate our needs.
More significantly though it
will be our symbolic home.
It is my hope and belief that
the new Academy will, unlike
its predecessors the Police
Barracks at Petrie Terrace
and the Oxley Academy, be
permanent and be there for
all time—that many years from
now it will have a tradition
similar to other permanent
facilities such as Duntroon at
Canberra and West Point and
the FBI Academy in the USA.
Queensland is the only police
jurisdiction that I am aware
of that has two academies.
The Townsville campus of the
QPS Academy has served us
well for many years. It enables
people who live in central
and north Queensland to
train and then work in the
three related police regions—
Central, Northern and Far
Northern. It also reflects the
fact that we are one of the
largest Police Departments
in the English speaking
western world, with one of the
largest geographically and
decentralised areas.
Our job, regardless of the role
we have, is becoming more
complex and difficult. The
expectations and demands
on us increase with each
year and given the world we
live in, there is a degree of
inevitability that comes with
this. We should welcome
that our Government and
community look to us as an
organisation who provides
safety, security and support;
and who works in partnership
to solve problems and deals
with issues in a timely, sound
and effective way.
We will only match those
challenges and expectations
if a number of key things
exist. They include our ethical
values, our commitment,
our professionalism, our
skill and knowledge, our
training, and career-long self
development. The ETC and
members in training roles
across Queensland have a
fundamental and essential
role in this, but the QPS
as a whole shares equal
responsibility.
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