Secret life of police

Editorial: Emily Wan

Police badges are swapped for pastry brushes when Inspector Guinevere Cleminson and Senior Constable Courtney Long are off duty.

“I find baking relaxing, because following a recipe is predictable and methodical, as opposed to the unpredictable nature of policing at times,” Keilor Downs Police Station’s Sen Const Long said.

Road Policing Command’s Insp Cleminson said she finds cake decorating a nice complement to walking her dogs and cycling.

Both started in the kitchen at young ages, with Sen Const Long baking yo-yo biscuits with her grandma and Insp Cleminson making birthday cakes with her mother, and later baking for her cat. At around nine years of age, Insp Cleminson asked her brothers to sing for a slice, making them belt out Happy Birthday to the family pet.

The joy their baking brings to others is why they love doing it so much, with family members, friends and colleagues the lucky recipients of their delicious cake creations.

Image Baking it happen Inspector Guinevere Cleminson (above) and Senior Constable Courtney Long both find cake decorating a relaxing hobby away from the busy policing lifestyle.

But it’s not all ganache hearts and flowers, as the amateur bakers face some tricky downsides.

Sen Const Long cites weight gain from eating so many cakes as a challenge, while Insp Cleminson has had some nerve-racking cake delivery car journeys over the years.

Some people may compare picking a favourite cake flavour to picking a favourite child – you can’t – but Sen Const Long and Insp Cleminson state their choices with conviction; white chocolate mudcake and baked cheesecake respectively.

While dreams of The Great Victoria Police Bake Off, or Cop Cakes, may be an arresting idea for future television series, both say they won’t be signing up for reality TV fame.

“The contestants cry too much and there’s too much drama on those kind of shows, so it’s not my cup of tea,” Sen Const Long said.

But if celebrity cook Donna Hay happened to drop by the Victoria Police Centre headquarters and request a slice of cake, Insp Cleminson said she wouldn’t mind at all.