Elite athletes targeted to bolster police force

Elite athletes being targeted by NSW Police, in hopes of recruiting them to the force. Among those committed to competing at the highest level and a career in the force is an under 21 Australian hockey player.

Australian Hockey representative Ryan Oschadleus (in goal) is graduating from the NSW Police Academy on Friday. Picture: Supplied

The NSW Police Force is targeting elite athletes in a unique recruitment drive aimed at snaring people who already have proven discipline, resilience and team ethos.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal the Elite Athlete Pilot Program is the latest in a string of initiatives to bolster the force, which is down almost 2400 officers from an ideal strength of 18,734.

Commissioner Karen Webb said the traits of top performing athletes align well with front-line policing and gives even more people the chance to join the force.

The latest recruitment initiative is designed to attract top-performing athletes and offer them flexible shifts, locations and support so they can continue their athletic careers while training and then working as police officers.

The pathway program has already received strong backing from major sporting bodies across the state, which have flagged the lack of sustainable career pathways for athletes not progressing to full-time professional sport.

The Telegraph can reveal one female rugby league player from the Newcastle Knights is part of the next class to go through the academy, and a second female player from the Sydney Roosters will commence in the following class, 367.

Another four athletes across various sports including water polo, rugby league and rugby union are at varying stages of the application process and another 19 from AFL, Rugby League, Netball, have shown interest and are currently exploring options around joining the NSW Police.

Under 21 Australian hockey representative Ryan Oschadleus is one athlete who has chosen to combine his career and sporting aspirations.

On Friday he will attest as part of class 365 and is soon to be stationed at Ryde.

Australian Hockey representative Ryan Oschadleus is graduating from the NSW Police Academy on Friday.

“This program will support me to continue with a high level of training and help me reach my goals within sport,” Oschadleus said.

“I hope to compete at the highest possible level, which would be playing for the Kookaburras and have a career within the NSW Police Force.

“While hockey is very important to me, it is important to have a career to support me through my journey and this program will significantly benefit me as an athlete.

“Being a beneficiary of the elite athlete program, it will assist me in ensuring adequate training time, while still completing all my work to the best of my ability.

“The flexible work arrangements will help me continue to play hockey. I will be able to attend my games and training.”

Commissioner Webb said class 365 “demonstrates a major turning point in recruitment for the NSW Police Force”.

“It’s the biggest class in 11 years with more than 300 recruits marching off the parade ground, which is a milestone in our campaign to boost the ranks,” Commissioner Webb told the Telegraph.

Australian Hockey representative Ryan Oschadleus is part of the pilot program targeting elite athletes wanting them to join the cops.

“Based on the weekly average, the number of applications has increased by 70 per cent since November 2023 when I announced the new payment scheme for all recruits.

“Many of our new probationary officers would not be here to reach their dream of becoming a police officer without that wage.”

Commissioner Webb said she was enormously proud that there had also been a spike in women joining the force.

“Since November 2023, we have seen a 33 per cent increase from female applicants which is a critical addition to the force.”

Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said the elite athlete program is about giving more people the opportunity to join the NSW Police Force.

“My message to anyone who has considered joining is that now is the time to apply,” she said.

“For others juggling family or other responsibilities, a policing career was out of the question until the Government introduced Full Time Equivalent rostering last year. This allows police to job share and work part-time for the first time ever.

“The NSW Government backs our police to the hilt and we will continue to support them as they protect and serve our state.”

FATHER AND DAUGHTER ON THE BEAT

A country mechanic who has spent almost 35 years on the tools and his 25-year-old pocket rocket daughter are part of the biggest and most diverse class of recruits graduating from the Goulburn Police Academy in 11 years.

Fifty-year-old Steven Romer, who graduates on Friday to start his career at Moree, was spurred on by his daughter Ebony Baxter, who will also graduate before being stationed at Inverell.

Mr Romer first filled out the paperwork to join NSW Police 10 years ago, before realising the timing just wasn’t right.

He had three young kids back then, and he couldn’t choose where he wanted to work once he graduated.

So he settled into his career as a mechanic in Inverell.

Father and daughter Steven Romer and Ebony Baxter are both graduating from Goulburn Police Academy on Friday.

The pair, pictured two decades ago, are proud to be part of the biggest and most diverse class of police recruits in NSW history.

Ebony, his eldest of three children, loved playing cops and robbers as a kid - she always wanted to be the cop not the robber.

Presuming she was too small to ever seriously consider joining, she opted for a career in veterinary nursing.

“Then I noticed some smaller female officers, and so I looked into it and realised the height restrictions had been removed,” Mrs Baxter recalls.

“So I thought maybe I could apply.”

She then encouraged her dad to join her for the “ultimate adventure.”

“When she asked me to join her to apply to join, I said if I am fit enough, I will worry

about the academics after that,” Ms Romer said.

“We trained together and I was going to the gym twice a day. I am not at the bottom of the group in the physical requirements, I am somewhere in the middle.

“It is not easy, you just have to be determined.”

Mr Romer admits the academic side of things was no picnic either.

“It took a while to get back into the swing of sitting and reading and getting the information in my head. I am a tradie but I have learned to do it and I am getting better,” he said.

“I am super proud of Ebony – there are not enough words to say how much I am

appreciative of Ebony. She has been the biggest support by far, and she won’t let me fail.”

NSW Premier Chris Minns welcomed the new recruits, thanking them for putting themselves forward to protect the NSW community.

“Our government’s number one priority is community safety, and our NSW police are on the frontline every day,” Mr Minns said.

“This is the latest class to benefit from our paid study program, we have delivered police a historic pay rise, and we have launched initiatives to get cops back to the bush.

“While there is more work to do, we are turning around the police recruitment crisis left by the Nationals and Liberals.”

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Originally published as Elite athletes targeted to bolster police force