Port Lincoln primary school student Narico, 11, wants to become a police officer ‘to save her mob’

So determined is young Narico to become a police officer to help her people, she’s already made her own SAPOL uniform.

Narico might only be 11 but she already knows what she wants to do with her life.

So determined is the young Aboriginal girl to become a police officer, she already has made her own uniform.

The year 5 student at Port Lincoln’s St Joseph’s School was recently flown to Adelaide by Catholic Education SA to spend a day at the Salisbury police station.

Narico wore her homemade uniform, which she created earlier this year for a school careers night.

Port Lincoln primary school student Narico,11, with Constable Liam Bennett at Salisbury. Picture: Russell Millard

It consists of an authentic SA Police shirt minus its badge, a modified hunting vest, handpainted baseball cap, black tie and black leather belt, plastic handcuffs, toy pistol and a walkie-talkie.

Narico said she wanted to become a police officer to be “a good example for people who don’t know how to be good, to keep my community safe and protect my mob”.

“I’ve always wanted to be a super hero but I need to do something in real life so I will be a cop instead because they are real heroes,” she said.

“(I will) fight for justice and defend people from bullies and bring Aboriginal and white people together.”

Port Lincoln primary school student Narico, 11, with Constable Liam Bennett at Salisbury. Picture: Russell Millard

Narico, who is of Barngarla-Ngarindjerri heritage, said she was planning to study English “for speaking and writing” and other languages “in case people don’t understand English”.

“(I will also do) maths so I can add up how many fines people get, PE so I can keep fit and jump fences to chase bad guys and martial arts,” she said.

Narico said she also wanted to study history “so I can understand how Aboriginals were treated in the early days and how that affects them now”.

Port Lincoln primary school student Narico, 11, with Constable Liam Bennett at Salisbury. Picture: Russell Millard

A former pupil of Lincoln Gardens Primary School, Narico was among two dozen Indigenous children attending St Joseph’s School, which had 800 students.

A family spokeswoman said Narico had “absolutely blossomed” since moving to the Catholic education system in year 3.

“She is thriving with the extra support she has been given and the friendships she has made,” she said.

“So many new educational possibilities have opened up for her.”

Recent statistics show the number of Indigenous students within the state’s 103 Catholic primary and secondary schools has increased by 38 per cent since 2015.