Cadet Careers If you were to work for Victoria Police for more than 500 years, what might your career look like? The 13 men in this photo are a great example, having earlier this year gathered together to celebrate 45 years since they first joined Victoria Police as cadets. Their more than 500 years of collective experience is almost as diverse as the organisation itself. 1. Richard Lodder
4. David Beare
6. Paul Allinson
Sergeant – Fingerprint Sciences Group
Forensic Officer, former Senior Constable at Victoria Police and Sergeant at Queensland Police Service
Inspector – Operational Communications
Main work areas/units: Fingerprint Sciences Group Highlights: Running the Crime Scene Officers Course from 2009-2012, performing a review of the Victoria Police Emergency Response Guide, serving as Victoria Police Liaison at the State Emergency Control Centre, and a 2014 deployment to the Netherlands for disaster victim identification following the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 over Ukraine. What do you like about the job? I enjoy working in this area where I feel we can make a difference by solving crimes and identifying deceased persons.
2. Craig Rhodes Detective Senior Sergeant – Fraud & Extortion Squad Main work areas/units: General duties and Crime Investigation Unit (CIU) duties, CompStat, Project AIM and various Crime Command squads. Highlight: Just catching crooks. It’s a great feeling to get that guilty plea after an investigation. What do you like about the job? The mateship. No matter where you go, you have always got a friend to help you out, and the friendship lasts a lifetime.
3. Mark Doney Inspector – State Business Continuity Manager Main work areas/units: General duties in metropolitan and rural locations, Operational Safety and Tactics Training instructor, Sergeant Qualifying Program facilitator, Special Operations Group (SOG), and State Emergencies and Support Command. Highlight: Working in a high-performance team such as the SOG and working with our frontline people, who have the hardest and most important job to do. What do you like about the job? The variety of areas that you can work in, skills you can gain and people you can meet. 28
POLICE LIFE | WINTER 2021
Main Work areas/units: Mostly in Fingerprint Branch Melbourne and Fingerprint Bureau in Queensland (eight years). Highlight: Having identified thousands of criminals and deceased persons over many decades using my fingerprint expertise. Main highlight was going to the Bali bombings in 2002 as part of an Australian Federal Police (AFP) Disaster Victim Identification Team and working with identification experts from around the western world. This was the most challenging, rewarding and humbling work I have done, bringing closure to the victims’ families worldwide. What do you like about the job? The knowledge of having a secure job throughout five decades. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic was a classic example of the security that being an essential services worker provides, while many in the community were not so fortunate.
5. Stephen Dennis
Main work areas/units: General duties and CIU, State Crime Squads, Detective Training School, North West Metro Region, Capability Department and State Emergency and Security Command. Highlights: Opportunity to lead and develop capability in our people in frontline and formal training and development settings. Being part of an organisation whose people — like no other arm of government — rise to challenges, adapt, reshape, lead and deliver community safety 24/7, 365 days a year. What do you like about the job? Connection with community, making a difference, the diversity of its people and the diversity of career options.
1
4
2
Detective Inspector – Professional Standards Command Investigations Division Main work areas/units: General duties and CIU, Local Area Commander at Stonnington and Port Phillip, Santiago Task Force, child exploitation task forces and Missing Persons. Highlights: Various, high-profile crime squads in Crime Command. Established the Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team in Victoria. The first extradition of an offender who had fled Australia after committing serious historic offences in Victoria. The offender was extradited from Bosnia, which had no extradition treaty with Australia in 2019. What do you like about the job? Working with committed colleagues focused on achieving key goals to enhance community safety. Significant personal development and diverse career opportunities.
3
