Four-legged police recruits on the beat after graduating with 22 new Tasmania Police constables

More than 20 new police in the ranks as three unusual suspects graduate from the Tasmanian Police Police Academy. Read why Basil, Tilly and Nikki can go where no cop has gone before.

First Class Constable Gavin Story with PD 16 Nikki, Senior Constable Joshua Trengove with PD 18 Basil, and Senior Constable Will Flynn with PD17, Tilly. Picture: Linda Higginson

Among the latest Tasmania Police graduating class are three four-legged officers ready to replace their retiring counterparts.

Police dogs Basil, Tilly and Nikki joined the 23 recruits at a graduation ceremony at Rokeby on Friday after completing their eight-week intensive training period.

The trio will be deployed in Hobart and Devonport to sniff out firearms and explosives, and Launceston for drug detection.

Detective Inspector Troy Morrisby said the dogs were “vitally important” for the police to detect a single firearm being accidentally brought into the state as well as more purposefully concealed items.

“Criminals have very sophisticated and complex ways of hiding those sorts of things but it doesn’t get past the dogs,” he said.

Basil, Tilly and Nikki are replacing Fang, Olsen and Quinn who are moving on to retirement.

Tasmania Police dog PD Fang is heading to retirement after years of working on keeping the state’s border’s safe. Picture: PATRICK GEE

Full-time handlers Senior Constable Will Flynn, Senior Constable Joshua Tringrove and Constable Gavin Storay train, live and work with the dogs which results in a strong bond.

Tilly’s handler Senior Constable Will Flynn said the dogs were fully trained but like the new constables, graduating would have a lot of learning on the job as part of their 8-9 year career.

He said the dogs retire to the couch after this time because the job is physically demanding.

“They can be crawling through the belly of an aeroplane, jumping in the ute all the time, running over baggage at airports and we can throw them up into roof spaces- so they are doing quite physical stuff,” he said.

Police Dog Tilly after graduating as a new member of Tasmania police. Picture: Linda Higginson

Also among the new officers who will be on the beat in Bellerive was Mya Silverthorne — a former hairdresser at North Hobart.

Constable Silverthorne said she had always admired the police profession.

She said the self-development and skills she learned during the 28-week course were worth the career change.

“I’ve always admired people who put themselves on the front line,” she said.

This was Constable Silverthorne’s second attempt at getting into the police force. She encouraged anyone considering joining to “get in and have another crack”.

She said the bond formed by the recruits was unique, and it was a bittersweet experience to be moving on from the classroom.

New Tasmania Police recruits Constable Ahmed Omer, Constable Mya Silverthorne, and Constable Patrick Verrell at the Police Academy in Rokeby. Picture: Linda Higginson

Tasmania Police Education and Training Commander Damien George said the diversity in the graduating class of recruits to constables reflected the diversity in the community they serve.

“The people involved in this recruit course really vary in experience and backgrounds,”

He said the “very diverse” background careers for the new constables ranged from horticulturalists, a hairdresser, a berry picker, hospitality and retail workers and even a camel trainer.

Originally published as Four-legged police recruits on the beat after graduating with 22 new Tasmania Police constables