October 25 1996 was the day that I graduated from the Victoria Police Academy with my nine other colleagues from Squad 15/06. One of our instructors told us we were the second lowest squad that had graduated. Whether this is true or not, we were a small bunch with 24 different people coming and going out of 15/96 and only five of us remain.
Most of the recruits that were in the academy at this stage won't remember 15/96 but mention that we were the squad who had to double time it (run) everywhere between classes and they will instantly remember us! Evidently not bringing our books to a lesson wasn't the greatest of our decisions and our punishment was to double time it until further notice. If I remember correctly, until further notice lasted a month or two. In fairness though, the person who was taking that missing persons lecture told us to not worry about bringing our books....we took books to every lesson after that.
Walking out onto the street, which happened to be just up from the Bourke Street Mall, with a gun for the first time, though the whole world stopped and looked at me when it actual fact, far from reality. Just another copper going to get a feed.
Met plenty of interesting people, seen people at their lowest and highest, seen people at their best and worst, seen some horrific things, seen some awesome things, had some great shifts and had some real bad shifts, made friends for life and some enemies for life (nothing personal, just because I wear blue) and had a shit tonne of laughter.
It is a job that is unlike most others. People abuse us, punch us, kick us and spit on us but when those very people ring "000" because they are in trouble, we will always come and help. Because that is what we do.
A very wise old Sergeant of mine once told me years ago, if the general population never knows what lays beneath the surface, we are doing a good job.
25 years later, I have no regrets. Would I do a few things differently? yeh absolutely but anyone who has worked in the same organisation for that long would say the same thing.
The pic is from about 2003 when a guide dog puppy, Brenna, was stolen from the Guide Dogs Victoria compound in Kew. One of my old Sergeants told me to find the dog as the crooks where apparently from Collingwood....well long story short.....we found Brenna who was later returned to the Guide Dogs, continued her training and lived a long and happy life and gave a blind person some freedom.
Despite what happened to me on 8 April 2003, as stated earlier, I have no regrets.
Be well.
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