Behind the badge

Editorial: Lane Mihaljevic

Photography: Jesse Wray-McCann

Trinette Charleson

Rank: Senior Sergeant

Age: 49

Graduated: 1996

Station: Sex Industry Coordination Unit

Why did you join Victoria Police?

I joined Victoria Police in an endeavour to help people, particularly children. I also liked the fact that there was a diversity of opportunities available within the organisation, including various occupations and specialist streams.

Tell us about your career.

My career has been very diverse. I’ve worked with the Security Intelligence Group, Crime Command (Echo Taskforce, Drug Taskforce, Clandestine Laboratory Squad, Purana Taskforce), Special Projects Unit, Film and Television Office and in country regions such as Moe and Morwell. I’ve spent the past four years as Unit Commander of the Sex Industry Coordination Unit (SICU).

Tell us about your current role within SICU.

SICU is a small unit comprised of one senior sergeant (myself), one sergeant, one tactical intelligence operative and five senior constables who investigate crimes against the Sex Work Act, Summary Offences Act and Crimes Act across Victoria.

Our mission is to protect vulnerable people from exploitation in the sex industry through gathering intelligence, building productive, sustainable relationships with internal and external stakeholders and identifying and investigating illegal activities within the sex industry.

We liaise with a wide variety of government agencies, inclusive of, but not limited to, the Australian Federal Police Human Trafficking Team, Australian Border Force and Consumer Affairs Victoria. We also liaise with non-government agencies such as Vixen Collective (a peer-led sex industry support agency) and Resource Health and Education Department, as well as sex workers operating from licensed and unlicensed brothels.

SICU strives to bridge the gap between Victoria Police and the sex industry, providing a safe, supportive and secure space for sex workers and sex industry employees to report offences committed against them.

What is the most rewarding part of your work?

The most rewarding part of my work is providing sex workers who are often misrepresented with a safe and secure environment to report offences – changing the perception of police within the sex industry and improving the reputation of police through consistent engagement with sex workers and sex industry employees.

Can you name a highlight of your time at Victoria Police?

I can’t pinpoint one particular highlight of my time with Victoria Police so far because I’ve been lucky enough to work in a wide variety of locations with fantastic colleagues. I’ve enjoyed my time in each one of my diverse roles and look forward to what the future holds.

Do you have any advice for new recruits?

If you want to stay with Victoria Police long term, carve out a career and don’t treat it as ‘just a job’. If you’re bored and can’t find anything that you’d be interested in doing with the force, you’re probably not looking hard enough, because there is just so much diversity within Victoria Police.

Remember that you always have the ability to change direction.