Victoria Police recruitment blitz keen to net more mature-aged cops
Victoria Police is hunting for mature-aged would-be cops in its latest recruitment blitz — and its latest graduates have unlikely pasts.
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Victoria Police is on the lookout for more mature aged recruits amid a recruitment blitz.
The force has welcomed more than 800 new officers in the last year to the force amid a bolstered recruitment campaign, with a trend of taking on older recruits who bring a wealth of life experience to the job.
In the past four months, the average age of the Victoria Police graduate was 30, with recruits as old as 58.
Among the enthusiastic mature-aged recruits includes Constable Anthony Newman, 43, who applied to become a cop last year, leaving a career in the building industry.
A driving factor in his decision was wanting to be a “great example” to his six-year-old son.
“At age 42, I started realising, life is not a dress rehearsal – you only get one chance,” he said.
“I wanted to have more of a purpose, as opposed to making money. I would like to be an upstanding member of society. Policing is a role where we can genuinely help people in the community and have a positive impact.”
Constable Newman said his life experience helped him to de-escalate situations with members of the public.
“I am a really hands-on person, this role is incredibly dynamic and constantly changing – you never know what you will be confronted with,” he said.
“I would struggle to sit in an office each day, to be out there moving, is fantastic.
“Policing is front row tickets to the best show on earth. Some of the stuff we see, you couldn’t make up.”
Constable Aaron Guthrie, 44, called time on his career in the European tourism industry in his late 30s, wanting a more stable lifestyle.
“I was looking for a career I would be proud of in Australia,” he said.
“My mate suggested police, my initial response was ‘I’m too old for that’. But at the academy, age didn’t really matter, I never felt it was an issue.”
Con Guthrie, based at Forrest Hill station, said his experience on the beat had been “so far, so good” and he regularly drew on his skills gained in the tourism industry.
“It seems like opposite worlds, people on holidays having a good time, to people in crisis,” he said.
“But both are dealing with people – helping people out.”
Constable Barbara Smith, 48, immigrated to Australia from South Africa 12 years ago, where she served in the South African police force but thought she had left it too late.
“I came in thinking I’m probably quite old for the job,” she said.
“It is a great place to work and the people are amazing. It is definitely a blue family.”
The mum of three graduated in February and says she maintains a high level of fitness to “keep up” with the younger officers, working out five times a week.
“If you really want it, it’s not that hard to embrace and achieve it,” Con Smith said.
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