Behind the badge: Ewan Cummings

Editorial: Danielle Ford

Photography: Brendan McCarthy

Rank: Senior Constable

Age: 51

Graduated: 2014

Unit: Swan Hill Highway Patrol

Why did you join Victoria Police?

It’s something I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid and my parents were both police officers in Manchester in the UK. Growing up and watching them in the job, it was something that always interested me so when things lined up and the opportunity to join Victoria Police arose, I took it.

Tell us about your career with Victoria Police.

After graduating from the Academy, I went to Lilydale and spent 19 weeks working in the uniform section there. I then moved to Ringwood uniform and spent a year-and-ahalf there before I was balloted to Swan Hill.

‘Balloting’ is a system where certain squads are put into a ballot after two years of service. If your name is drawn from a hat, you are directed to transfer to a station that could be anywhere in Victoria.

When I was balloted to Swan Hill, my wife and children moved up here with me. Once I got here, I did a few secondments with the Highway Patrol unit. When a position opened, I applied for it and officially became a member of the Swan Hill Highway Patrol in November 2019.

Why did you pursue a career in the Highway Patrol?

It’s an area of policing that has always interested me because I like dealing with vehicles. It’s interesting work and you get to deal with a range of different people every day.

In Swan Hill, we cover a large patch that has a lot of truck drivers, grey nomads and seasonal fruit pickers as well as the local community, so every day you are dealing with new faces.

As part of the balloting system, you are required to work for at least two years in the town you are assigned to. Why have you decided to stay in Swan Hill after completing these two years?

It’s a great town with a great community that I’m really happy to be raising my two children in. It’s also a great team at the station here and everyone is really enthusiastic about the job and wants to make a difference in the town. That’s the kind of environment I want to work in and it’s ended up being the perfect fit for me and my family.

Sen Const Ewan Cummings has now made Swan Hill his home after being balloted to the remote station four years ago.

You’ve lived in a few countries during your life, tell us about this and why you decided to settle in Australia.

I was born in South Africa and lived in England for 14 years. After spending 14 years where it rained and rained, I wanted to move somewhere with better weather.

One of my mates from England had moved to Dunedin in New Zealand and I had planned to go there with my wife and children, but I asked him about the weather and he said it rains a lot so we changed plans and decided to move to Australia instead.

That’s another reason I enjoy Swan Hill, it doesn’t rain a lot here and the weather is fantastic so it’s exactly what we were looking for when we moved.

What’s your favourite part of being a police officer?

It sounds cliché but meeting different people and helping members of your community.

As a member of Highway Patrol, I get satisfaction out of helping get drink and drug drivers off the road.

Drug driving in particular is a big focus and target for me. It’s a huge issue in our area and they are such a danger on the road so I’m very dedicated to ensuring we keep them off the road to make it safer for other drivers.