Witness Callout

several months while awaiting the outcome of the court case.

The court’s decision was for the animals to be forfeited however, Paula applied for the animals to be donated to an organisation for local riders with disabilities.

Paula transferred to Mareeba General Duties in 1997 before being promoted to Sergeant in 2003 as the District Education and Training Officer (ETO).

As a Cairns local, the Far North was where Paula wanted to police and ultimately, where she stayed for the next 34 years. While Paula didn’t remain in the same position, she sure did excel at firsts.

In December 1993, she became the first female police officer to take up a position in the Far North Drug Squad, and the first female officer to relieve in the Far North Stock Squad.

In 1980, hostage negotiators were introduced to the service and in 1993, Paula became one of a select few female negotiators across the State and the first for the Far North.

Not one to remain idle in a job, Paula transferred back to general duties in 1995 and decided to become a Dignitary Protection Officer as well as a negotiator in her spare time.

She had the pleasure of working in several teams, providing security for some of our most famous visitors including Queen Elizabeth II, who visited Cairns in 2002, and former President Bill Clinton who visited Port Douglas in 1996.

Paula also provided security for state officials for the G20 in 2014, and athletes and state officials for the Commonwealth Games in 2018.

However, her most memorable job was in 1997, when she commenced an investigation into allegation of animal cruelty towards horses and camels.

At the conclusion of the investigation, Paula charged a local tourist operator with 12 offences under the Animal Protection Act, in which the tourist operator was found guilty and banned for life from ever having possession or custody of an animal.

Moreover, Paula seized all the animals that were in the tourist operator’s care, and personally fed and treated their injuries for