21 New First Year Constables reporting for duty in the Townsville Police District

A mother of three who once spent her days helping to wrangle cattle in the Gulf Country is now set to wrangle criminals on the streets of North Queensland. Read her story here.

First Year Constables Amelia Wheatley and Todd Reinhardt gear up for their first days on the beat in North Queensland.Picture: Natasha Emeck

A mother of three who once spent her days helping to wrangle cattle in the Gulf Country is now set to wrangle criminals on the streets of North Queensland.

Amelia Wheatley, a contract mustering and bull-catching specialist, recently made a jaw-dropping career shift, swapping the dust and danger of the outback for the high-pressure world of policing.

This week, the newly minted First Year Constable will step into her new role, which will be stationed in Ingham, just north of Townsville.

“It’s been a dream of mine since high school to join the police force,” she said.

“But life got in the way — I met my husband, we started a family, and our rural contracting business kept us busy. Now that the kids are a bit older, I knew it was now or never to pursue this passion.”

The transition hasn’t been easy. To chase her dream, Constable Wheatley had to leave her family behind for eight months to complete her police academy training.

“Being away from my kids has probably been the biggest challenge,” she said.

“But my family is so excited and proud of me taking on this new role.”

Amelia Wheatley (left) made the switch to policing after years with her family business, Wheatley Rural Contracting, a mustering and bull-catching operation in Gulf Country. Picture: Supplied

Surprisingly, her experience in the outback has prepared her for policing in more ways than one.

“In our business, we dealt with all kinds of people from diverse backgrounds and cultures, especially the Indigenous community we worked with. That experience of connecting with different people is really going to help me in this new job.”

As she prepares to hit the beat, Constable Wheatley’s enthusiasm is undeniable.

“I’m just so eager to be there for people on their worst days, to help make a difference. It’s a big change from chasing cattle, but I’m ready for this new chapter.”

Amelia Wheatley made the switch to policing after years with her family business, Wheatley Rural Contracting, a mustering and bull-catching operation in Gulf Country. Picture: Supplied

She’s among 21 new First Year Constables reporting for duty in the Townsville Police District this week, including Todd Reinhardt, who’s set to begin his career at one of the city’s busiest stations, Kirwan.

“I’ve been in Townsville since 2005, so I wanted to stay here and serve the community that I’ve lived in for most of my life,” he said.

“Policing has always been something I wanted to do, but after having my daughter a couple of years ago, I thought, in order for her to follow what she wants to do, I have to set the right example.”

Originally published as 21 New First Year Constables reporting for duty in the Townsville Police District