Police Life Autumn/Winter 2024

TASERS GO STATE-WIDE

Police are now able to keep the public, themselves and even the people they’re arresting safer thanks to the rollout of Tasers to all officers across the state.

For the first time, frontline police in metropolitan Melbourne and protective services officers (PSOs) will be equipped with Tasers, joining regional general duties police, who have carried the conducted energy devices for more than a decade.

The $214 million rollout began late last year, with officers at Dandenong and Springvale police stations the first in Melbourne to be given the devices and put through rigorous training for their use.

The entire Taser rollout to 10,300 frontline police and PSOs across the state is due to be completed by September 2026.

Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said the devices had already proven invaluable within just weeks of being issued to police at Dandenong and Springvale.

Police responded to an incident in December where a man suffering a mental health episode was found in the back room of a Springvale house brandishing a knife.

The man was sprayed with OC spray with little to no effect. He dropped the knife, but then punched a police officer in the face as he resisted arrest.

A Taser was discharged, allowing the members to regain control and take the man into care without injury.

CCP Patton said Tasers provided crucial middle ground for police and PSOs when dealing with high-risk, volatile situations.

“On most occasions merely drawing a Taser is enough to safely resolve an incident,” CCP Patton said.

“In many ways they are a negotiation tool. They’re about less force, not more.”

The rollout project also includes replacing existing Tasers issued to the Special Operations Group and Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT), as well as general duties police at 36 regional stations.

Acting Sergeant Tim Verrenkamp is very familiar with Tasers having used them extensively during his 15 years with CIRT.

Now working general duties at Bacchus Marsh Police Station, A/Sgt Verrenkamp is pleased to see the improved technology, accuracy and safety the latest device models offer.

“The new Tasers have a greater range and are generally stronger, so they can be much more effective when you come up against someone wearing heavy clothing,” A/Sgt Verrenkamp said.

“Previously, when we were responding to volatile situations, we had our baton, OC spray and firearm, and there was a big jump in the effects of a baton or spray and a firearm.

“So the Taser is an ideal option that gives us the window of opportunity to effect a safe arrest without any injuries to anyone, which is always our aim.”

Image Equipment rollout

A/Sgt Tim Verrenkamp and his fellow police officers across Victoria are being equipped with the latest Taser devices.

Editorial and photography: Jesse Wray-McCann

"I look forward to once again welcoming hundreds of new members to our ranks this year."

A MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF COMMISSIONER

Every day, in every pocket of Victoria, every Victoria Police employee is striving to ensure the community is safe – regardless of their role, whether a police officer, protective services officer, police custody officer or public servant.

This edition of Police Life shines a light on the incredible work of a police custody officer and a protective services officer, each with a unique ability to put names to faces and identify persons of interest.

Their stories serve as great examples of how all employees of Victoria Police work together to get results.

The variety of work performed by our Public Order Response Team (PORT) is also highlighted in Police Life

While PORT is perhaps best known by the Victorian community for its role in maintaining safety at demonstrations and rallies, its main duty is to provide support for general duties members and policing operations across the state.

Its task list is never the same, yet PORT officers take it all in their stride.

In 2024, Victoria Police is continuing its recruitment drive, as we look to add more fresh faces to the 553 police who graduated from our Academy last year.

As Chief Commissioner, I am the Reviewing Officer for most graduation ceremonies, where our newest constables are welcomed into Victoria Police.

And while parents presenting their children with their police badge at these ceremonies

is relatively common, there was one family connection last year that really stood out (pictured right).

The usual father-son roles were reversed when Senior Constable Tom Wilson presented his dad, Andrew, then 54 years old, with his ‘Freddie’.

Remarkably, Constable Andrew Wilson, now stationed at Pakenham, wasn’t our oldest police graduate — the age range in 2023 stretched from 19 to 56, demonstrating an important mix of youth and maturity.

I look forward to once again welcoming hundreds of new members to our ranks this year.

In this edition, we also reflect on the horrific road trauma experienced in Victoria in 2023. Despite the best efforts of police, 295 people lost their lives on our roads last year — the highest number in 15 years.

The ripple effect of fatal and serious injury collisions is enormous. The lives of family and friends left behind will never be the same, and the impact on witnesses, emergency services workers and hospital staff is also significant.

This year, we will continue our ‘anytime, anywhere’ enforcement approach to avoid a repeat of last year.

I ask everyone to focus on their safety and the safety of others when behind the wheel.

Please look after one another.

Chief Commissioner Shane Patton APM

ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER

GLENN WEIR Road Policing Command

The Dog Squad. I’ve learned a lot from humans in my 42 years as a police officer, so I would be keen to see what I could learn from the dogs. I suspect on some occasions I would learn more.

SENIOR SERGEANT BEC ALLAN Licensing and Regulation Division

Coming from a general duties background, I am fascinated by the work completed at Counter Terrorism Command. Working in an environment that investigates and disrupts credible threats to our community and way of life would be extremely rewarding.

LEADING SENIOR CONSTABLE

BRETT OWEN

Casey and Cardinia Proactive Policing Unit

Close Personal Protection. I’m really interested in politics and, in my opinion, the role would be very interesting and a great opportunity to protect and meet some of the world’s significant people. They’ve provided services to the Victorian Premier, Australian Prime Minister and dignitaries from other countries.

I would love to work in the High Country and assist Search and Rescue. I couldn’t do it all the time, because I love general duties policing, but I would get a lot out of searching through that type of terrain to eventually reunite someone with their worried family.

LEADING SENIOR CONSTABLE SAM SCHEMBRI Ballarat Police Station

Definitely the Air Wing. Every day and every job would be really different for them and really exciting.

DETECTIVE SENIOR CONSTABLE

THOMAS LONSDALE Wangaratta Family Violence Investigation Unit

I’m fascinated with one-member police stations. You’re it, there’s no one else. You’re the daily face of Victoria Police within the town. The community relies solely on you to be there for them.

SERGEANT ERIN DENNIS Sunshine Prosecutions Unit

I’ve always been intrigued by the work of the State Surveillance Unit. I’d love to follow people around and find out about their life incognito. It fascinates me to think that you can invent a persona and pretend to be that person for the purpose of an investigation and get paid to do so.

WHAT’S AN AREA OF VICTORIA POLICE YOU’RE FASCINATED BY, BUT HAVEN’T WORKED IN?

DETECTIVE SENIOR CONSTABLE ALEKSANDAR SUBOTICKI Moorabbin Crime Investigation Unit

I am interested to work within counter terrorism as I have completed my Master of Counter Terrorism. I am fascinated by the psychological and sociological aspects behind terrorism, and understanding the factors that drive radicalisation.

CONSTABLE DENNIS OREM Transit Safety Division, Epping Police Station

The Air Wing. The technology used by the Air Wing is impressive. Further, the helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft at Victoria Police are a great force multiplier and a big enabler of mission success. I’m probably biased because I love flying and being around aircraft.

DETECTIVE SENIOR CONSTABLE EMMA MORAN VIPER Taskforce, State Anti-Gangs Division

When I originally joined Victoria Police, I had aspirations to join the Dog Squad, which I never pursued. I find the detection dogs incredible. The way they are so highly trained and in sync with their handlers is extraordinary. It would be fascinating to see behind the scenes and the amount of training required to get the dogs to that level.

SERGEANT HOLLY LEMBKE Officer in Charge, Heathcote Police Station

BUSTING OPEN AN ATM GANG

It’s December 2018 and, for the past three nights, thieves have tried breaking into bank ATMs in small towns around Ballarat in Victoria’s west.

While the crooks failed in forcing their way into the machines on those occasions — at Creswick, Skipton and Maldon — just two weeks earlier a Bendigo Bank ATM in Beaufort had been broken into and $189,000 in cash was stolen.

Local detectives decide it’s time to bring in the experts and that’s when the job lands on Detective Senior Constable Andrew Pybus’s desk at the Armed Crime Squad.

While non-armed crimes of this type aren’t what Det Sen Const Pybus and his colleagues usually look into, their close relationships with banks are seen as vital in this case, along with their ability to investigate multiple crimes linked as a series.

Now a senior sergeant, Pybus formed part of a crew that included Detective Sergeant Amanda Cohen, Leading Senior Constable Robert Curran and detective senior constables Robert Omerod, Cara Brockwell and Brett Waterson.

“We went up there and visited each of the sites and got a handover from the local crime investigation units to get our heads around what we needed to do,” Sen Sgt Pybus said.

The Armed Crime Squad was thorough, even going back into the dispatch records around the time of the offending for jobs that had come up over the radio, small or large.

The detectives’ first break came from something as minor as a noise complaint at Cosgrave Reservoir just outside Creswick. People living nearby called police about suspicious grinding noises coming from the reservoir car park and took note of a Toyota Landcruiser ute and a Holden Commodore leaving the scene.

Given the incident happened just an hour and a half before the attempted ATM break-in at a Creswick bookshop on 14 December 2018, it piqued the interest of investigators.

A look back at CCTV footage showed a Toyota Landcruiser ute and a Holden Commodore involved at the Creswick and Maldon attempted thefts.

As the Armed Crime Squad’s Tactical Intelligence Operative, Ldg Sen Const Curran got to work and found a report of a stolen Toyota Landcruiser ute that matched the description of the one they were interested in.

The call went out for police to be on the lookout for the ute.

As the detectives continued their investigation, two more ATMs were hit on 29 December 2018 — an unsuccessful attempt to break into an ATM at Dunkeld, then $96,000 stolen from an ATM at Lake Bolac.

CCTV footage showed the ute and Commodore were both again involved.

The following day, a Ballarat Highway Patrol officer got in touch with some crucial information.

“He was working at a breath testing site when the ute drove through and he had a brief conversation with the driver,” Sen Sgt Pybus said.

“The member’s body-worn camera footage showed the driver as a man called Grant James Nalder.”

The detectives now had a prime suspect. They also had another name – Martin John Locandro – who was the registered owner of the silver Commodore seen at Creswick.

By looking into Nalder and Locandro, it was discovered the pair was regularly at the Haddon home of a man called Robert Stanley Fitzpatrick.

With three suspects in the frame, investigators were able to identify another crime that was previously not linked to the ATM series — the theft of $32,000 stored in calico bags from a safe at the Avoca Shire Turf Club on 17 October 2018.

CCTV footage from a Ballarat bank a month later on 16 November showed Nalder depositing $5505 in cash, using one of the calico bags from the turf club.

On the same day, which was almost two weeks before the first ATM theft, Nalder paid $5510 to a business that sells surplus tools from the mining industry.

Sen Sgt Pybus said it was suspected the transaction was for the powerful equipment Nalder and his crew used to force open the ATMs.

While the net was starting to surround Nalder, Fitzpatrick and Locandro, Sen Sgt Pybus said they still needed more evidence.

A few days after another attempted break-in to an ATM in Queenscliff on 13 January 2019, police began surveillance on the stolen ute Nalder was driving and Locandro’s Commodore. Their surveillance efforts proved their worth just days later when both cars had left Fitzpatrick’s home in the early hours of 26 January and travelled to Ballan, where CCTV footage would show an unsuccessful attempt by offenders at 1.30am to break into the Bendigo Bank branch.

Things were beginning to come together for Sen Sgt Pybus.

But only hours after the Ballan incident, he got a phone call that would change everything.

“One of the local members rang me, saying, ‘We’ve found a stolen car right outside Fitzpatrick's house’ and I was like, ‘Oh, yeah, I know which car that's going to be’,” he said.

Sen Sgt Pybus said he was frustrated the Toyota Landcruiser ute had been seized by local police, but then he learned of the treasure trove of evidence found within the vehicle — identification cards, a balaclava and gloves, angle grinders, bolt cutters, a sledgehammer and a jemmy bar.

But most pivotal of all was a powerful hydraulic spreader — the type used in the mining industry and by emergency services to free people trapped in crashed cars.

Bendigo Bank installed one of its ATMs at the Victoria Police Forensic Services Centre for Sgt Andrew Nisbet from the Ballistics Unit to test the seized spreader on.

Sgt Nisbet compared the microscopic markings left by the spreader in his testing with the markings left on ATMs at the crime scenes.

“We had that fantastic, ‘there-it-is’ moment when I could confidently say the seized spreader was the one used in the crimes,” Sgt Nisbet said.

With the net of evidence surrounding them, the three men pleaded guilty to charges relating to their crime spree, which totalled about $320,000 in stolen cash.

They were sentenced to terms of imprisonment varying between seven years and 23 months.

Images Catching cash thieves

01 The gang tried using a front-end loader to break into an ATM at Clunes.

02 Sgt Andrew Nisbet of the Ballistics Unit runs tests on an ATM using equipment believed to have been used during the burglaries.

03 Grant James Nalder caught on CCTV after depositing cash stolen in one of the burglaries.

04 Sen Sgt Andrew Pybus led the investigation into the ATM burglaries.

Editorial: Jesse Wray-McCann

Photography: Jesse Wray-McCann and supplied 02

The Armed Crime Squad detectives were confident they had enough evidence to arrest Nalder but wanted more for Fitzpatrick and Locandro.

On the morning of 3 March 2019, after a few weeks of no incidents, Sen Sgt Pybus awoke to news that beggared belief.

While the hydraulic spreader had been seized by police, the crooks were not deterred.

In the early hours of that day, they stole a front-end loader and drove it to the small town of Clunes in a convoy with a stolen F350 pickup truck and Locandro’s Commodore.

They used the front-end loader to tear up the front of the Clunes Newsagency, which had a Bendigo Bank ATM in its shopfront.

But they were interrupted by a local baker before they could steal anything and fled the scene, leaving the front-end loader still running.

Arrests and search warrants quickly followed.

Sen Sgt Pybus said searches at the trio’s properties turned up an “Aladdin’s cave” of tools, clothing and other equipment used in the offending.

One of the most damning pieces of evidence came after the seized spreader was sent to Victoria Police’s Ballistics Unit.

The unit not only focuses on forensically analysing and comparing firearms and fired ammunition from crime scenes, but marks from other types of tools as well.

With an eye to identify

Despite revolutionary advancements in artificial intelligence and facial recognition technology, Victoria Police has two secret weapons when it comes to identifying potential suspects.

Protective Services Officer (PSO) Acting Sergeant Priyank Vakharia and Supervising Police Custody Officer (SPCO) Asif Shamim are famous across the organisation for their remarkable skills for putting names to faces.

Whenever police officers circulate photos or footage internally of a person of interest (POI) following a crime, PSO A/Sgt Vakharia and SPCO Shamim are often quick to nominate who they think it may be.

Based at Footscray, PSO A/Sgt Vakharia is both prodigious and accurate, having nominated 86 names in the past two years, with 84 of those being correct.

In one month alone, he accurately identified 11 POIs.

Lauded by his colleagues for his talent, the humble PSO A/Sgt Vakharia said he was simply happy to play his small part in the overall mission of Victoria Police.

“I just feel satisfied knowing that I have been out there proactively talking to and engaging with people, and by doing so, I have come across a lot of persons of interest and I've remembered their IDs,” PSO A/Sgt Vakharia said.

“The fact it has eventually helped some investigations to be completed is very satisfying.”

Inspired by his uncle who was a police officer in India, PSO A/Sgt Vakharia joined Victoria Police as a PSO eight years ago.

He was already aware of the need to be able to remember identifying features of POIs, having previously been the assistant manager of a service station, where he had to report many petrol drive-offs and armed robberies to police. Rather than having a photographic memory or effortless natural gift for recognising people, PSO A/Sgt Vakharia has developed his ability himself over the years through a systematic approach.

“When I started as a PSO at Transit Central, there were always a few people that we had to deal with every day,” he said.

“Some of them were recidivist drunk people who could not even remember their names and who would not have any ID on them.

“Always going through that process of trying to get a name or address out of someone was challenging.

“I started taking notes on people I engaged with and kept them in a folder so that I could go back to it later on.”

But with every time he referenced that folder, his reliance on it became less and less.

It was the use of his system that was in fact training his memory to be more effective by itself.

PSO A/Sgt Vakharia’s boss, Senior Sergeant Brooke Ayres, is among the growing crowd of colleagues who marvel at his skills as a PSO.

“The way he can remember people and faces is astonishing,” Sen Sgt Ayres said.

“There are 84 people who have been held accountable for their actions directly thanks to Priyank, and that’s huge.”

Where PSO A/Sgt Vakharia’s is a trained skill, for SPCO Shamim, remembering people is a purely natural talent.

And his numbers are staggering.

In the past seven years, the Mill Park Police Station SPCO has positively identified more than 1050 POIs.

His record for one month alone is 60.

Before joining Victoria Police to manage people in custody in police station cells, SPCO Shamim worked for two years at Port Phillip Prison and eight years at the Melbourne Custody Centre.

It was during these 10 years that he got to know hundreds of faces and names he would later remember at Victoria Police.

“Recently there were more than $100,000 of sunglasses stolen and when I saw the photos of the guy police were interested in,

I straightaway knew it was someone I had dealt with just once back in 2008,” SPCO Shamim said.

“When I told the police officer who it was in the photo, I said, ‘When you find him, you’ll also notice that he has a tattoo of his mother’s name in Arabic on his arm’.

“It’s a natural thing for me, maybe photographic memory, because when I see something once, it just sticks in my head.”

Sometimes the quality of CCTV footage available to Victoria Police is such that it only offers a side profile of a person that amounts to little more than a blurred collection of pixels.

But often that’s all SPCO Shamim needs.

“I remember police were looking for the ID of a woman wanted for alcohol theft in the city and the footage was so bad that you could not make out her face, but I could tell by the body structure it was a woman I had dealt with before, and it was,” he said.

“There was even one time I had given this guy a cup of coffee here in the cells at Mill Park and then weeks later I saw a photo of him after a theft where his face was completely covered but I was able to identify him because of a tiny mole on his arm.”

SPCO Shamim goes out of his way to not only be across POI photos and footage from police areas throughout the state, but he also proactively keeps up to date with police custody attendance records to remember their faces for the future.

“It’s such a good thing to be able to fit my skills and past experience into the organisation so well, and to help our police and detectives and ultimately the community,” he said.

His memory skills also extend beyond identifying crooks, not only helping him study a double degree in law and criminal justice while doing full-time shift work, but with the grocery shopping too.

“When my wife tells me what I need to get from the shops, she has said a couple of times, ‘Aren’t you going to write it all down?’ but I say, ‘No, I don’t need to write it. Just tell me what you need and it will be stuck in my head,’” he said.

So on-the-run criminals be warned, if PSO A/Sgt Vakharia or SPCO Shamim have ever seen your face, you’ll never be able to outrun their memories.

Images On the lookout

01 PSO A/Sgt Priyank Vakharia has honed his ability to identify persons of interest over time.

02 Police across the organisation have benefitted from SPCO Asif Shamim’s natural gift.

Editorial and photography: Jesse Wray-McCann

02

IT TA K ES A

v i l l a g e

When Leading Senior Constable Alison Keppel walks into Olympic Village Primary School in Melbourne’s northeast, she’s met with open arms — not just because she’s popular among the students, but because she’s the very reason some of them are at school in the first place.

Two years ago, after speaking with a young boy walking through Heidelberg West by himself during school hours, Banyule Proactive Policing Unit’s Ldg Sen Const Keppel was pulled by the heartstrings.

Lacking support at home to get himself to school on time and too embarrassed to enter class after the first bell rang, this student was missing out on his education.

He wasn’t a school refuser, he just couldn’t get there.

“After speaking with him, I was devastated,” Ldg Sen Const Keppel said.

“It was just so clear that he wasn’t getting the support he needed at home to go to school on a regular basis.

“So when I met with the staff at Olympic Village Primary and found out how many other kids were in the same boat, I knew we had to do something to help.”

From there, Ldg Sen Const Keppel and her colleagues worked with the school, Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court, Banyule Community Health, and local charity organisation Open House to develop a program that’s now a cornerstone of the school community.

With the primary goal of providing struggling families with the assistance they need to get their kids to class on a daily basis, they called it ‘Let’s get there’.

Once a child at Olympic Village Primary School is enrolled in the program, they’re picked up from home and dropped off at school by volunteer minibus drivers every morning.

These drivers not only greet each child at their front door and ensure they get to school safely, but can also provide teachers and support staff with information about students’ welfare if they notice anything out of the ordinary.

“The program’s pick-up and drop-off system not only gets these students to Olympic Village Primary by 9am every day, but also

allows the school to stay across the kids’ situations at home,” Ldg Sen Const Keppel said.

“If the kids don’t come to the door and hop on the bus when it first comes past to collect them, the bus driver will go around the block and pick up other kids, giving them some time to come out.

“But if they don’t come out at all, or something doesn’t seem quite right when they do come out, the bus driver will let the school know – who can then ask us (local police) to check in on the family if they have welfare concerns.”

To make attending school as easy as possible for students dealing with difficult situations at home, it was important to Ldg Sen Const Keppel that the program also included a breakfast club.

“Families struggling to get their kids to school on time are likely also struggling to put breakfast on the table,” she said. So to ensure that students participating in the program have enough energy to start the day, volunteers direct them straight to the ‘breakfast room’ when they arrive at school, where they’re offered a nutritious meal and time to socialise with their peers before heading off to class.

Having seen participating students’ attendance increase by up to 55 per cent, Olympic Village Primary School principal Cleo Ndalianis sings the praises of the program.

“It’s been a game-changer for some of our kids,” Ms Ndalianis said.

“We now have a group of 20 enrolled in the program and we’re seeing significant changes in their attendance, their engagement in class, and their performance on assessments.

“But most importantly, we’re seeing a change in their demeanour – how happy they are to be at school and how keen they are to learn.

“For example, we have a family of girls, whose attendance at school was no higher than 40 per cent. But now, after a year of participating in the program, their attendance is over 85 per cent and they’re doing really well.”

With the girls now attending school on a regular basis, they’re also getting access to services like speech therapy, dental care, and education support.

Plus, their mother is more connected to the school community than ever before. She doesn’t feel shame seeking support and knows she can call on local police officers like Ldg Sen Const Keppel for help or advice if she needs it.

As they say, it takes a village to raise a child. “In this case, it’s Olympic Village,” Ms Ndalianis said, “because our whole community has really banded together to make this program work.

“But it wouldn’t be what it is today without Alison, the Banyule Proactive Policing Unit, and our volunteers. The students are now so

used to seeing police members at school dropoff or the breakfast club that they’ve become friendly faces who are always here to help, not just faces of the law.”

Thinking back to when the students stepped off the program’s minibuses for the first time, Ldg Sen Const Keppel says there wasn’t a dry eye among the crowd of staff, volunteers, police, and community members watching on.

For some kids, that day marked the first time they had ever arrived at school prior to 9am.

“Everyone involved in getting the program up and running just knew it was going to change lives,” Ldg Sen Const Keppel said.

“If kids don’t get to school, they don’t get an education — and if they don’t get an education, that’s going to have an impact on their future. So being able to work with the community to remove some of the barriers preventing them from attending is just so special.”

With support from other community groups in the City of Banyule, Ldg Sen Const Keppel hopes to extend the project’s reach to neighbouring suburbs in the coming years.

“We’re in the process of securing buses and volunteers to help implement the program in another local school where kids are in need of support,” she said.

“But if I could, I’d set the program up for every school across the state.”

Images Support with a smile

01 Ldg Sen Const Alison Keppel joins students from Olympic Village Primary School for breakfast.

02 Ldg Sen Const Keppel enjoys engaging with young people and is rapt to have contributed to the Olympic Village Primary School community.

03 Students are happy to see Ldg Sen Const Keppel and her colleague Sen Const Nicole Kernick when they drop in to say hello.

Editorial: Lane Mihaljevic

Photography: Jesse Wray-McCann

EXPERTS

A Victoria Police podcast

Go deeper into the world of Victoria Police with our new podcast, Police Life: The Experts. Hear about the incredible work of negotiators in the Critical Incident Response Team, and the dedication of investigators in the Major Collision Investigation Unit. You’ll also get to know a tenacious detective in country Victoria, and DNA experts within the Forensic Services Department.

Come behind the scenes as we shine a light on our people and their extraordinary skills. Find all the episodes and transcripts at police.vic.gov.au/police-life-podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

Episode 1: The negotiators

Episode 2: Collision course

Episode 3: How to catch a crook

Episode 4: DNA in from the cold

BEHIND THE BADGE

WAYNE SPENCE

Rank: Senior Sergeant

Graduated: 20 January 1978

Station: Diamond Creek

Why did you join Victoria Police?

I was working at the Melbourne Harbour Trust in demolition. While the work was enjoyable, I was looking for a career with a variety of opportunities, which is what Victoria Police can provide.

Tell us a bit about your career history.

After the Academy, I went to Russell Street, which was a rite of passage for graduates back then. I wasn’t there for long before moving to City Traffic, in the days of white gloves and pith helmets. I worked at Preston, Eltham, a short stint at D24 where I was promoted to sergeant, then Heidelberg. I moved to Greensborough as a senior sergeant in 2002 and then in 2004 I was sent to Diamond Creek to set up the new complex. I've been frontline uniform for 46 years, which is good fun and always interesting.

What's your favourite thing about working at Diamond Creek?

Diamond Creek is a smaller station with a strong focus on community, which makes it feel like country policing. Working with and mentoring new members and those seeking promotion has always been enjoyable and, as an officer in charge (OIC), it’s pleasing to see them progressing through the ranks. Diamond Creek also houses the local headquarters,

which includes the Local Area Commander for Nillumbik, who coordinates the police response to emergencies. As the uniform OIC, I have taken on a support role for the Divisional Emergency Management, which has enabled me to develop skills in this field.

What’s the most memorable experience you’ve had during your career?

I was here on Black Saturday when the fires came through Strathewan. The first fires in our area started around 4pm. As the afternoon moved on, there was a quick succession of other fires and we realised they were spot fires started by the smoke plume drifting above us. The fire came and went in an hour and a half, but in that time, 34 members of our community were killed. My concern was for our small crew and what they were exposed to – in the days that followed we searched for victims and survivors and identified locations where victims had died. Even though it was 15 years ago, we still talk about it when we meet with the other emergency services and the lessons that were learnt. Working side-byside with the community to rebuild and come together after that terrible event was very rewarding.

What do you do in your free time?

I dabble in carpentry. You’ve got to do something other than always thinking about policing. I have also been involved for the past 20 years with the Diamond Creek Blue Light Disco, which has been running for 31 years. It was closed for three years due to COVID, and in that time, our money had run right down because we still had to pay public liability insurance. But in November 2022, we decided to give it one last go, and 330 kids turned up. We’ve had a similar number at subsequent events. We’re back in the black and hopefully next year we'll be able to give grants to local sporting groups, schools and not-for-profits, adding to the almost $300,000 we've given away in the past.

What advice do you give constables starting their career?

You'll hear senior members talk about how things used to be done and that may sound better or worse than it is today, but it’s really just the back-of-house business that changes. The front of house – here on the street – never changes. At the end of the day, it’s working with the community, helping those who need assistance and dealing with offenders.

Editorial: Nadine Lyford

Photography: Jesse Wray-McCann

Coastal cops

A group of teenagers is spending the week partying in Torquay for schoolies when one of them starts to get into trouble.

The school leaver and his friends have been letting their hair down after their final Year 12 exams but, on this night, he has had too much alcohol to drink.

His friends start panicking.

They know he needs help and they should probably call Triple Zero (000), but are worried they and their friend might get in trouble if the police turn up.

They then remember that, at the start of the week, officers from Torquay Police Station dropped by to wish them all the best celebrating the end of their schooling, set some standards and said they could call on them if they needed any help.

The group makes the call to Triple Zero and Leading Senior Constable Steve Wrigley is one of the officers who shows up.

“They were loath to call us, but they did in the end, which was really good because we were able to get an ambulance and help their friend,” Ldg Sen Const Wrigley said.

“Thankfully, they realised I was probably more like their dad than a scary police officer and that we wouldn’t make any dramas about it. We just wanted to make sure they were safe.”

Working in one of Victoria’s most popular tourist and events regions presents priceless opportunities for officers in the four Surf Coast police stations at Torquay, Lorne, Anglesea and Winchelsea.

For Ldg Sen Const Wrigley and his colleagues, they know their interactions with people enjoying a holiday or a music festival are chances to create positive connections.

“With the kids on schoolies that we helped, hopefully they take that onboard as they enter into adulthood and think, ‘The police aren’t too bad. They’re just like us. They’re just people wearing uniforms’,” he said.

One of Australia’s top tourist attractions – the Great Ocean Road – winds its way through the Surf Coast and draws around six million sightseers each year.

Senior Sergeant Adrian Bickley said police from the four stations in his patch were often the first encountered by international visitors.

“There are a lot of international tourists who hire a car and drive along the Great Ocean Road as the first thing they do after stepping off the plane,” Sen Sgt Bickley said.

“The Great Ocean Road is one of the few places where there are arrows to indicate what side of the road you need to be on, because we recognise a lot of people might be from a country where they drive on the opposite side of the road.

“Hopefully this simple road marking will help reduce road trauma.”

Such a busy tourist route keeps the local police, especially from the Lorne and Anglesea stations, on their toes.

Sergeant John Digby is the officer in charge at Anglesea and has seen it all.

“Not long ago, I pulled a car over on the Great Ocean Road because someone was standing up out of the sunroof and taking videos of the view,” Sgt Digby said.

“They were from overseas and knew what they were doing was wrong, but they said they were just trying to get footage for their social media.”

Sgt Digby said sometimes people didn’t slow down when driving through the town on the tourist road, putting locals and visitors in danger.

“One excuse we get often for speeding through Anglesea is, ‘I thought it was 80km/h’,” he said.

“I always reply that they have gone past 13 60km/h signs.

“The majority of drivers on the Great Ocean Road are sensible because they see the risks with all its twists and turns, but we do get the odd person who thinks it’s a racetrack, and one of the dangers there is that they are relying on other drivers to be doing the right thing.”

In the 16 years since Ldg Sen Const Wrigley started at Torquay, he has seen the town and overall Surf Coast change drastically.

“It used to be that, from April through to October, this was a reasonably quiet sort of place,” Ldg Sen Const Wrigley said.

“But there has been huge population growth here since then and now that window of quietness really doesn't exist.”

The growth both in locals and tourists has meant a growth in demand for police in the area.

As a result, the Surf Coast will be getting one of the biggest influxes of additional police in the state.

Torquay currently has 22 frontline officers and will be almost doubling its staffing levels, while Lorne and Anglesea will also receive additional members, as part of the Victorian Government’s funding of an extra 502 police.

“It will completely change the way we are able to do our policing down here, which is fantastic,” Sen Sgt Bickley said.

“It means we can be more proactive, adaptive and evolve to respond effectively to meet community needs and expectations.

“We will have opportunities to target local issues like road trauma by using our additional officers in traffic operations along our coastal roads.

“It’s all about making our roads safe.

“The amount of people and increase in workload we have to manage down here and the distances we have to cover are huge, so people will really notice the difference with all these extra police.

“It’s a big win for the Surf Coast.”

Images Beach policing

01 Sgt Lee Kendrick and Sen Const Lee Purton say hello down on the beach.

02 From left: Sen Const Purton, Ldg Sen Const Nicolette Law, Sen Sgt Adrian Bickley, Insp Bobbi Pucar and Sgt Kendrick.

03 Sen Sgt Bickley chats to locals on the Torquay foreshore.

04 Road policing is an important part of the job down on the Surf Coast.

Editorial and photography:

Jesse Wray-McCann

04

03

02

BASIC ERRORS TAKE TRAGIC TOLL

Getting in a car, on a bike, or hitting the street on foot to get from A to B is a task many undertake daily without a second thought. But for the 295 people killed on Victorian roads last year, whose names and ages are listed on this page, it was these simple tasks that tragically ended their lives and left family and friends shattered.

SKYLA

REGINALD

89 STEPHEN 48

ANTHONY 29 VICKY 85 PATRICIA 78 YUSUF 18 JUSTIN 17 JAN 90 HUBERTUS 76 BARRY 71

MILAD 28 PAUL 36 JOHN 48 SALVATORE 79 CHLOE 1 DAVID 53 SCOTT 46 DANIEL 34 DONALD 76 LYNN 71 PETER 82 SKYLAH 3

HAYLEY 28 SCOTT 51 CLAYTON 20 BRAYDEN 20 COREY 24 XIAO 68 GAZI 18 AINSLEE 26 JAMIE 32 SAMNIT 28 JENNIFER 52 KATHERINE 16 BRENDAN 35 JAMES JOSHUA 22 KEVIN 68 JOAN 76 HAYDEN 29 ELIZABETH 87 FREDERICK 90 FREDERICK 91 LARA 19 GEOFFREY 74 ALEXANDER 62 LIAM 20 BEN 21 NOAH 16 STACEY ALISHBAH 2 MICHAEL 57 JOHN 83 MICHAEL 58 JOSHUA 41 DENVER 16 RYAN 26 RHYS 20 ANTHONY 34 JOSHUA 32 FRANCESCO 47 MOOGAY 38 KALLIOPI 25 ERIK 23 LOUIS 41 ZIH-YAO 25 WAI YAN 30 HSIN-YU 27 PIN-YU 23 DEBORAH 62 LIAM 19 WARREN 48 ADAM 45 JOSEPH 26 GEORGE 19 EUSTACE 50 TRAVIS 33 AMY 33 JOHN 79 DOUGLAS 80 CRAIG 51 CAROL-ANNE 59 FRANK 77 VANESSA 38 JASON 34 JULIA 25 CHRISTY 31 AGHDAS 76 TASKIN 50 GEORGE 82 PRATIMA PRAMOD 30 DEAN 19 IRENE 76 CONNOR 18 PETER 49 MAUREEN 79 MICHAEL 29 MAUREEN 76

In 2023, Victoria recorded a 15-year high for road trauma, in line with the concerning upward trend in lives lost across Australia.

While extreme behaviour such as excessive speeding, unlicensed driving, high-range drink driving and illicit drug driving accounted for a third of Victorian fatal collisions last year, police were alarmed to see the majority of road trauma was caused by basic errors.

These basic errors — including low-range speeding, low-level drink driving, failing to obey road signs, failing to wear a seatbelt and distraction — were factors in more than half of Victoria's fatal collisions in 2023.

Among the deadliest errors was failing to give way, which contributed to roughly one in six fatal collisions, while distraction accounted for about one in eight.

For Road Policing Command Assistant Commissioner Glenn Weir, who has oversight of all on-road fatal collisions across the state, the level of trauma seen in the past year is unacceptable.

“Any road death is devastating, and most are preventable, but the number of people who have lost their lives because someone chose to take what they thought was a small or acceptable risk beggars belief,” AC Weir said.

“To have police knocking on doors to deliver the news that a loved one has been killed,

because somebody was in a rush for an appointment or couldn’t wait to reply to a text, is gut-wrenching.”

Police across the state are banding together to avoid a repeat of last year’s tragedy.

The cornerstone of this work is an 'anytime, anywhere' enforcement approach, prioritising greater visibility of police on the road to act as a deterrent for poor behaviour.

“A lot of the people who are making those basic errors are otherwise reasonable and law-abiding citizens, so we know that seeing a police car on the road or intercepting vehicles is often enough for them to regulate their behaviour,” AC Weir said.

“That’s why we’re making a concerted effort to maintain a highly visible police presence.”

The introduction of electronic penalty notices in the coming months will support this presence, reducing the time police spend writing tickets by hand and giving them more time on the road to detect and prevent poor behaviour.

Changes to optimise the alcohol testing program are also underway, with evidentiary breath testing machines now more available across metropolitan and regional areas. These additional instruments reduce the distance and time police need to transport suspected drink drivers for processing.

While basic errors are a key focus for police, the minority of high-risk road users haven’t been forgotten.

Among a significant body of work to address this issue, police are seeking to expand the use of automatic number plate recognition technology in more police vehicles to detect unauthorised and highrisk drivers more easily before they have a chance to cause harm.

Despite the sizeable police effort to minimise road trauma, AC Weir said officers can’t fix the problem alone.

“We will continue to educate and enforce to the best of our ability, but we need everyone in the community to understand their own responsibilities to keep themselves and others safe on our roads,” AC Weir said.

“To anyone who thinks it’s fine to be a little bit over the speed limit, to rush through a give way sign or to not worry about wearing a seatbelt – I ask you to look at the names of people who have died at the hands of that behaviour here on this page and think about whether it’s really worth it.”

Editorial: Cassandra Stanghi

Graphic Gone too soon

The names and ages of people tragically killed on Victorian roads in 2023 paints a bleak picture.

JAMES 72 LEIGH 61

STACEY 30 GEOFFREY 70

25 KAMA 32 ANDREW 31

33 STEPHEN 66 JULIE 57

PRATIMA 22 SANTOSH 31 MITCHELL 18

RHIANON 30 SADRI 57 JAMIE 33

20 ANNETTE 80 JINWOO 26 MONTANA 15

RONALD 71 ANNE 84 TONI 87 JOSHUA 39 JULIE 60

GUMA 38 JESSE 45 CALEB 16 ALAN 82 LORRAINE 83

SHAWN 34 BRYAN 78 LACHLAN 22 ZACHARY 21 NGOC TIM 66

ROBERT 68 STEPHEN 64 JOHN 76 GEORGE 44 ETHAN 22 JENNIFER 61

STEVEN 73 PAUL 67 JUDITH 87 PAULAITA 18 HENRY 91 TRAVIS 25 HEATH 41

BLAKE 26 BENJAMIN 40 WAYNE 58 DAVID 73 DONNA 51 BORCE 45 SAVANNAH 5

CRAIG 47 JONATHAN 22 TAYLA 18 TRENT 18 VISHNU 37 PETER 37 VIHAAN 11

RILEY 20 LUKE 20 GRACE 20 ATHOL 84 VIRGINIA 56 LAURA 58 JOHN 57

84 DAVID 39 HAROLD 53

ZULFIOAR 2

GERARDUS73

TEAM PLAYERS

POLICE LIFE SPENT A DAY ON THE ROAD TO GET A BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK INTO ONE OF VICTORIA POLICE’S MOST VERSATILE UNITS

It’s 8am on Monday and the Public Order Response Team (PORT) is already kitted up and ready to be deployed wherever it’s needed most.

With no protests or demonstrations planned in Melbourne for the day, half of the team will spend their shift assisting general duties police in regional Victoria, while the other half assists with roadside breath testing in Werribee.

Tasked with providing back-up to frontline police, the PORT members heading to Ballarat started their day with a briefing at the Victoria Police Centre in Docklands before packing the cars and strapping in for a trip up the Western Highway.

Now 294 members strong, it isn’t unusual for PORT to deploy a portion of the team beyond metropolitan boundaries.

In fact, for PORT Acting Senior Sergeant Rebecca Wells, it’s just a regular day at the office. “The unit’s core function is to provide support to local police managing large protests, demonstrations or events where people are at risk of being harmed, but when we’re not doing that, we’re out keeping the community safe –just like any other police officer,” A/Sen Sgt Wells said.

“So when police in a regional area like Ballarat need help with something that’s on their plate, sending members out there to assist is a no-brainer.”

Arriving just before 10am, PORT stopped at Ballarat Police Station to meet and check in with local police.

Today, they will be hitting the streets to support officers with their regular duties, while also participating in Operation Clash – a coordinated effort to locate and arrest known high-risk offenders.

Wanted for crimes such as drug trafficking, assault, and family violence, these offenders don’t want to be found — but that’s where PORT comes in.

“Local police in locations like Ballarat are often busy managing all of the things that come with policing a regional city,” said A/Sen Sgt Wells.

“So being able to send our members in to provide them with extra resources is a gamechanger.

“It allows us to help them bring offenders into custody as quickly and safely as possible, for the benefit of both the community and local officers.”

Over the course of PORT’s day in Ballarat, the unit made several major arrests and interacted with members of the community from all parts of town. But even after saying goodbye to local officers and returning to Melbourne, PORT wasn’t off the clock.

As members who started work in the morning began to pack up and finish for the day, those rostered to work the afternoon shift rolled in.

Unlike the morning crew, PORT members working the afternoon shift didn’t have to stray far from the Victoria Police Centre, having been tasked with patrolling Melbourne's CBD.

But while the job is close to PORT’s home base, policing in the city has its own unique challenges – including large crowds, busy roads and poor behaviour after dark.

Starting in some of Melbourne’s busiest locations like Swanston Street and Flinders Street Station, PORT members kept a watchful eye on the community, both from their vehicles and on foot.

As the sun went down, PORT assisted local police with roadside drug and alcohol testing, conducting preliminary breath tests on Russell Street.

“It just goes to show that PORT members wear many hats,” A/Sen Sgt Wells said.

“One minute, we’ll be keeping you safe during a public demonstration or sporting match, and the next, we’ll be helping with an arrest, keeping an eye on the roads, or providing support to members attending a natural disaster.

“No matter what it is that we’re called to assist with, we’re there to do our bit.”

Image Here to help

When they're not keeping Victorians safe at demonstrations or events, PORT members are deployed to wherever they're needed most.

Editorial: Lane Mihaljevic

Photography: Jesse Wray-McCann and John Pallot

with patrolling Melbourne's CBD.

PORT members working the morning shift kit up and gather for a briefing in the Victoria Police Centre, where they’re tasked with supporting Operation Clash, an effort to locate and arrest a list of high-risk offenders, in Ballarat.

PORT members make their final arrest on the outskirts of town and head back to Ballarat Police Station.

After meeting with police at Ballarat Police Station, PORT members hit the streets to chat with the locals.

On their way back to the Victoria Police Centre, PORT is redeployed to assist with the management of a suspicious grassfire in Rowsley.

PORT members arrive at an address where an offender is reported to be living and discuss how they’re going to approach his arrest.

The team spends the first few hours of their shift in the streets surrounding Federation Square and Flinders Street Station.

Local police request PORT members’ assistance with locating a person of interest.

PORT members conduct roadside drug and alcohol tests on Russell Street.

Country's calling

As Superintendent Mark Edwards and Acting Senior Sergeant Trish Merrett will attest, there’s a lot to love about country life. But it’s country policing that they’re really passionate about.

Since relocating to the East Gippsland area and furthering their careers as country cops, both officers have enjoyed the transition from metropolitan to regional policing and the laidback lifestyle that came with their moves.

Now they’re encouraging others to take the same leap – whether it be for a tree or sea change, or simply returning home to work in the country.

After a revamp of Victoria Police's internal processes, it's now easier than ever for aspiring police officers to follow in the footsteps of Supt Edwards and A/Sen Sgt Merrett.

As part of the updated process, applicants are contacted by the Recruiting Services Branch (RSB) and given the opportunity to nominate a regional or rural location they would be interested in working at after graduating from the Victoria Police Academy.

Recruits can select from a list of police stations that may include larger regional centres such as Shepparton and Horsham, or rural one-person stations.

Nominated locations are considered by RSB, but alternative country locations may be offered in line with resourcing needs.

Once Academy training is complete, recruits work for two years at their selected police station.

After this time, they can choose to remain at that station, transfer to another station, or express interest in a different general duties position.

Supt Edwards said nominating a regional or rural work location has undeniable benefits –providing more certainty to members about where they will end up once recruit training is complete, and access to a range of remote and position-based allowances and salary packaging benefits they may qualify for.

Now divisional commander of the East Gippsland and Wellington area, Supt Edwards said the guarantee of returning to work in the country was a key factor behind a member of his family deciding to apply to join Victoria Police.

Although from Gippsland originally, Supt Edwards decided to stay in Melbourne after his own graduation to hone his policing skills before eventually returning home after 10 years.

Now with more than two decades of country policing experience under his belt, Supt Edwards has been able to work across regional Victoria — the Latrobe Valley, Mildura, Bendigo, and East Gippsland and Wellington areas — while achieving rank promotion.

His message about country policing is “just give it a go because, if you haven't done it, I'll guarantee you'll love it".

For A/Sen Sgt Merrett, who works at Lakes Entrance Police Station, a “lifestyle change” was the catalyst for her family’s seaside relocation.

Frequent holidayers in the area, they decided to make a permanent move in 2020 for a better quality of life.

With the beach on her doorstep, on a summer’s afternoon she enjoys “walks with my young children when I’m not on the job”. In winter, it’s sitting by the wood heater with a warm drink listening to the ocean.

When she is working, A/Sen Sgt Merrett relishes the community spirit, friendly greetings, and kindness shown by her locals.

Reflecting on her decision to make the switch to regional policing, she says it’s something she “wouldn’t change for the world”.

Image A different view

Supt Mark Edwards and A/Sen Sgt Trish Merrett have reaped the rewards, personally and professionally, of relocating to East Gippsland.

Editorial: Emily Wan

Photography: Sergeant Matthew Tanner

VICTORIA POLICE BY THE NUMBERS:

1050

persons of interest have been correctly identified by Supervising Police Custody Officer Asif Shamim in the past seven years. Read about his remarkable skills on Page 8.

294 MORE THAN

The number of members in Victoria Police’s Public Order Response Team. Find out what a day in their life looks like on Page 18.

1 2 325

of all fatal collisions on Victorian roads in 2023 were caused by ‘basic errors’, including low-range speeding, low-level drink driving, failing to obey road signs, failing to wear a seatbelt and distraction.

The total number of police stations in Victoria. Find your closest station at police.vic.gov.au/policestation-location

2002

5

successive push-ups on toes is one of the physical tests that applicants must pass in order to join Victoria Police. Find out more about the recruitment process at police.vic.gov.au/ police-recruitment-process

The year Detective Senior Sergeant Leemara Fairgrieve started her career with Victoria Police, where she now works in the Organised Crime Division to dismantle syndicates at the core of the illicit drug trade in Victoria. Read more about her career journey on Page 22.

000

Triple Zero is the phone number you should call if you’re in danger, need to report a crime in progress, or to request immediate police attendance.

100,000

There were almost 100,000 family violence incidents in Victoria in 2023. Read about how the Family Violence Command Taskforce is helping hold these offenders to account on Page 24.

PERSONAL REASON FUELS

Policing Passion

Like many people, Detective Senior Sergeant Leemara Fairgrieve has seen the terrible impacts of illicit drugs firsthand.

“Someone I know became addicted to drugs several years ago and, since then, I’ve seen their life spiral,” she said.

“This person grew up in the most beautiful, normal, working-class family and had the world at their feet.

“Now, because someone wanted to make a bit of money through a drug sale, their life is destroyed, and a family is shattered.”

However, unlike most people, Det Sen Sgt Fairgrieve has also witnessed the horrific impacts of illicit drugs almost every day at work for the past 21 years.

Since deciding to ditch her scissors and leave the hairdressing world for policing in 2002, Det Sen Sgt Fairgrieve has seen the many different ways drugs can impact people, families and communities.

Having worked in general duties policing, family violence and sexual offences investigation teams, highway patrol and regional crime investigation units, it’s fair to say she’s seen a myriad of ways drugs can cause harm.

“I couldn’t count the number of jobs I’ve been to over the years that involve drugs in one way or another,” Det Sen Sgt Fairgrieve said.

“Whether it’s a horrific road accident where the driver was high on drugs, a drug-fuelled violent attack or a homicide or shooting that was linked to organised crime groups, so many of the jobs I’ve responded to in my career are fundamentally linked to drug use or the illicit drug trade.”

Fed up with responding to incidents that were the end product of the illicit drug trade, Det Sen Sgt Fairgrieve decided to refocus her career on dismantling the syndicates that import and move these drugs through the community.

“I want to put everything I have into helping dismantle these groups,” she said.

“They’re killing our community – preying on vulnerable people and playing a huge part in destroying thousands of lives.

“They cause so much harm and pain and it’s all built on nothing other than a greed for financial gain.”

In 2022, the determined detective secured a job in the Organised Crime Division’s Trident Taskforce, a Victoria Police-led multi-agency partnership with Australian Border Force and the Department of Home Affairs that investigates organised crime, working to identify vulnerabilities within port facilities and maritime activity.

“As Australia is ocean-bound, our ports are hugely vulnerable to organised crime due to the number of imports and exports processing through them every day,” she said.

“The majority of illicit goods that come into Australia come by sea, and the work done by Trident helps disrupt that flow of goods, including drugs, from getting to the streets.”

During her time at Trident, it became clear to Det Sen Sgt Fairgrieve that this was the space she wanted to be working in.

“I’d spent about 20 years talking to the people who were, for lack of a better phrase, collateral damage to these organised crime groups, so I found such a purpose in this work,” Det Sen Sgt Fairgrieve said.

“Every ounce of drugs, or chemicals used to manufacture drugs, that we intercepted on vessels or at ports, was an ounce of drugs that wouldn’t end up in our community.”

Since joining Trident, Det Sen Sgt Fairgrieve has worked in multiple teams across Victoria Police’s Organised Crime Division, including Joint Organised Crime Taskforce, of which Trident is now a part.

She worked in Joint Taskforce Icarus, a collaboration with the Australian Federal Police that focuses on investigating and stopping the movement of drugs through domestic and international mail, before moving into the Major Drug Squad, where she heads up two of the squad’s investigation teams.

The Major Drug Squad investigates commercial drug trafficking or cultivation operations.

“The main mission of the squad is the same as my personal passion – to investigate, disrupt,

dismantle and hold these large drug trafficking groups to account,” Det Sen Sgt Fairgrieve said.

But her move into specialist crime fields means Det Sen Sgt Fairgrieve no longer has a front-row seat to the lives she and her team are helping to change.

“When you are working in the regions, you engage with people and see first-hand the impact your investigation has,” she said.

“You get to see the reaction from someone when you get an answer or a good outcome in court.

“The work we do in the Organised Crime Division teams is more removed from the victims of the crime and focused on the perpetrators.

“While we get the result of seizing drugs before they get to the community, we don’t physically see the impact that seizure has on the community, but we can think about it in numbers.”

This change, however, doesn’t make the work any less meaningful or important to Det Sen Sgt Fairgrieve.

“Every kilogram of drugs that our work stops from ending up on the streets is a win for our community and something to be proud of,” she said.

“If that person in my life whose life has been taken over and ruined by drugs never had access to buy them, things could have been entirely different.

“So, while I don’t get to see every person my work is helping, it’s such important work that I know is, in some way or another, helping many lives, and that’s what drives me.”

Image Work with purpose

Det Sen Sgt Leemara Fairgrieve has seen the impact of drugs in her personal and professional life, and she’s determined to track down those who bring them into our community.

Editorial: Danielle Ford

Photography: Jesse Wray-McCann

HOT ON THE TRAIL

WHEN IT COMES TO VICTORIA’S MOST DANGEROUS FAMILY VIOLENCE OFFENDERS, THERE’S A SMALL BUT POWERFUL POLICE TEAM WORKING TO TRACK THEM DOWN.

Embedded within Victoria Police’s Family Violence Command (FVC), the FVC Taskforce is a dedicated investigative team that helps police across the state locate and arrest high-level offenders.

Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Higgins, officer in charge of the taskforce, said many of the offenders targeted by his team were “the worst of the worst”, with offences mostly against women and children.

“They are dangerous offenders, many who have a significant history of offences including serious assault, threats to kill, sexual offences and stalking,” Det Sen Sgt Higgins said.

“They often know police are after them and they are doing everything they can to avoid us.”

The FVC Taskforce, comprising Det Sen Sgt Higgins, two detective sergeants, 13 detective senior constables and two intelligence analysts, provides state-wide support to Victoria Police’s busy specialist family violence investigators.

“We receive requests for assistance from investigators to locate wanted family violence offenders and we effectively take control of this phase of the investigation, including conducting a planned arrest operation and notifying the relevant investigator once the offender is in custody,” Det Sen Sgt Higgins said.

“We are a proactive investigative unit, so we have the resources and ability to use intelligence to focus our response at short notice on an individual offender, giving us a greater chance of tracking them down faster and holding them to account.”

The taskforce was set up in 2015 in response to recommendations from the Royal Commission into Family Violence.

Initially, the main role of the taskforce was to investigate historical reports of family violence involving multiple victims,

where offenders had not previously been investigated.

However, in 2021, the scope of the taskforce expanded, allowing it to provide increased assistance to divisional family violence investigation units to further strengthen Victoria Police's ability to manage high-risk family violence offenders.

“There are almost 100,000 family violence incidents a year in Victoria and that’s just the number of incidents that get reported to police,” Det Sen Sgt Higgins said.

“This means there’s a huge workload for frontline members and specialist family violence investigators.

“We conduct proactive, planned operations and days of action with local police across the state, focusing on family violence offenders with enforceable actions like outstanding warrants and the service of intervention orders.

“While we are doing this work, regional resources are freed up to progress other cases, ensuring the safety of victims remains a priority.”

The job of locating these serious offenders is one that has expanded the FVC Taskforce’s work beyond the Victorian borders.

“Over the past 18 months, our taskforce investigators have identified several recidivist family violence offenders who have relocated interstate,” Det Sen Sgt Higgins said.

“Some have fled Victoria with numerous outstanding warrants for family violence offending and now reside in another state, committing family violence against either the same victim or a new one.

“But state borders are not a barrier to us. We track these offenders down and extradite them to Victoria, holding them to account and applying for them to be remanded in custody while they await court.”

The taskforce has built relationships with other police jurisdictions across the country, particularly counterparts in interstate family violence teams, and even helps to arrest offenders on behalf of other states.

“Recently we arrested an offender in Victoria on behalf of the Northern Territory Domestic and Family Violence Unit, so their detectives could apply for his extradition to the NT,” Det Sen Sgt Higgins said.

“We are proud of the work we are doing in this space as we continue to enhance our working relationships with our interstate counterparts.

“Family violence is not unique to Victoria or Victoria Police. We take this offending extremely seriously and will continue to work with police across Australia to protect the community.”

The FVC Taskforce helped locate and arrest 162 offenders in Victoria and conducted eight interstate extraditions of serious offenders in 2023.

“This offending can result in significant trauma and have a life-long impact on victims,” Det Sen Sgt Higgins said.

"While we are just one part of a bigger picture when it comes to Victoria Police's family violence response, I know the work my team does is very important."

It’s work that is continuing to evolve, with a further expansion to the taskforce’s remit late last year to include supporting sexual offences and child abuse investigation teams.

“We can now also help with locating missing children who are at a high risk of child sexual

exploitation and we can target the offenders linked to these crimes,” Det Sen Sgt Higgins said.

“If we can get these offenders off the street and hold them accountable for their actions, we are sending a strong message that this offending will not be tolerated, and making a difference in the lives of their victims.

“That’s the most important part of any work we do – protecting vulnerable people in our community who are impacted by family violence and sexual offending.”

Images Coordinated response

From the streets to stations, the Family Violence Command Taskforce works across the state to track down some of the worst family violence and sexual offenders.

Editorial: Danielle Ford

Photography: Danielle Ford and Jesse Wray-McCann

PRECIOUS CARGO SAFELY HOME

On a wet August night, Sergeant Smith* and Sergeant Jones* follow the sounds of a revving car engine by the side of a house. Sgt Smith cautiously approaches a fence, peers through a gap and locates the source of the noise.

He sees a man standing at the boot of a car, pulling out blankets and shoving them under the tyres. The man is hurriedly trying to get his car out of the mud.

Sgt Smith is relaying the description back to an investigation team, where rapid decisions are being made.

Within seconds, the man jumps back into the car where the dim interior light has turned on. Sgt Smith can see just enough to confirm he has found the person of interest. And in the back of his car are the two children he has kidnapped.

Less than 12 hours earlier on 23 August 2021, Specialist Operations Group (SOG) sergeants Smith and Jones were attending a meeting at Melbourne’s Victoria Police Centre.

The pair was expecting a quiet Monday morning when their superintendent interrupted to brief them on a developing incident.

Two children, Adilla, 5, and her 3-year-old brother Bilal, were at their Blackburn North home with their mother when a masked man entered the house around 8am.

The man assaulted the woman at knifepoint before taking both children in the boot of the family’s black Mercedes-Benz. Using the mother’s phone, the offender then called the children’s father, who was at work, and demanded a $1 million ransom.

Victoria Police responded by forming Operation Scout; a large contingent of

specialists from Armed Crime Squad, State Surveillance Unit and Eastern Region’s Division 1 Investigation and Response team.

Op Scout rapidly called upon the SOG, a highly specialised tactical unit that responds to the state’s most dangerous incidents. Special operators are trained to deal with terrorist threats, sieges and hostage situations that are deemed beyond the capabilities of general duties police.

The SOG quickly mobilised, deploying multiple units to the eastern suburbs, putting to best use their tactical driving skills, formidable teamwork and communication.

As the operation increased in urgency, Op Scout’s management team appealed to the public for information, while police in the field, including sergeants Smith and Jones, followed up potential leads.

“We were very aware of the worst-case scenario being a very possible outcome and were doing everything we could with the information we had,” Sgt Smith said.

“For those of us with kids, the mind naturally goes to ‘what if they were my kids?’.

“But a big thing we train into SOG operators is that we are best at solving problems when we think clearly.”

By the early evening, police had focused their attention on a house in Mitcham, just a 10-minute drive from the children's home, where investigators believed they might locate the person of interest — and hopefully the two children.

With the approval of Op Scout management, the pair ran a close-target reconnaissance of the property, covertly circling the house and reporting their observations to the team.

The SOG tactical responders and other police were on their way.

“As Sgt Jones moved to cover the back of the house and I covered the front, we could hear a car revving the whole time,” Sgt Smith said.

“It was dark, so I was able to follow the sounds and locate the car from behind a fence about three metres away.

“The black Mercedes-Benz matched the description, but I needed to identify the man and still hadn’t located the kids.”

Sgt Smith recalls the man moving to the boot of the car, pulling an armful of blankets out and stuffing them under the tyres.

“I realised then that the car was stuck in the mud,” he said.

“It was a knife’s-edge moment then. Any second, he was going to get that car to move.

“But what really struck me was the number of blankets he had in his boot and what he planned to do with them.

“Once the blankets were under the tyre, the man got back in the car and the light came on.

“It was dark, wet and the internal light wasn’t very bright, but I could just see two children’s seats and, in them, two little heads.

“What instantly stood out to me was the girl’s beanie. My daughter, who is the same age, has the exact same colourful beanie. As hard as it was to see inside the car, I couldn’t miss the beanie.”

There was little knowledge of who else may have been inside the house or if weapons were present.

But waiting any longer meant risking a pursuit of the car on wet roads with the siblings in the back seat.

Sgt Smith gave an update on radio before jumping the fence.

As he approached the man and wrestled him to the ground, Sgt Jones was quick to join.

Once the offender was on the ground and the surrounds were secured, Sgt Jones recalls switching to dad-mode as he comforted the kids.

“I guess we tried to do what we would want someone to do for our kids in that situation — talk to them softly, let them know everything is going to be OK,” he said.

“There were some indicators of the type of environment the kids had been through – like the boy’s nappy, which hadn’t been changed all day.

“It may not sound like much but, as a parent, I found that level of disregard disturbing. “I often think about what might’ve gone through their minds at the time and I really hope they don’t remember it.”

As with all jobs for the SOG, and unlike other police units, operators apprehend and hand over the offenders to Victoria Police colleagues before withdrawing from the area. In this case, they were also able to hand over the two children who, by now, were giving the sergeants high fives and playing with their police badges.

For sergeants Smith and Jones, this is an incident that will stay with them for the rest of their careers.

“It’s the kind of job that keeps SOG operators turning up to work every day. We want to be the positive difference,” Sgt Smith said. “But the reason we were able to do what we did was because of the vital work of the investigators.

“A lot of resources were dedicated to that job – I was the lucky one that got to do the best part.”

*Names have been changed to protect the identity of Special Operations Group members.

Images Rapid response

01 Special Operations Group police were instrumental in returning the kidnapped children to safety. This image is a digitally-altered re-creation of events.

02 The black Mercedes used in the kidnapping.

03 The offender was arrested in Mitcham about 12 hours after the children were taken from their home.

Editorial: Sarah Larsen

Photography: Jesse Wray-McCann and supplied

02

03

Prior skills prove useful vehicle

Master’s degree-qualified in engineering and with years of experience in the automotive industry working with some of the biggest manufacturers, Detective Senior Constable Sandeep Singh Chauhan’s career path seemed certain.

But his move from India in 2016 coincided with a mass exodus of car manufacturers from Australia, forcing him to explore a new career.

After looking at a few options, Det Sen Const Chauhan came across a Victoria Police recruitment advertisement and thought he’d give the job a try.

With his extended family having served in the Indian Armed Forces, Det Sen Const Chauhan said military or paramilitary service was “always in the back of my mind”.

He has since become the first in his family to serve in an Australian police force.

After two years as a general duties officer at Mornington Police Station, Det Sen Const Chauhan worked for a year in a Divisional Response Unit (DRU) and Crime Investigation Unit in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs. He recalls one of his more memorable jobs while working at the DRU that involved people in Seaford setting off firecrackers every second night and creating a nuisance.

“After executing search warrants, as expected we found firecrackers in a house, but we also ended up getting a commercial quantity of methamphetamine, seized about $80,000 in cash, and found two fully-loaded firearms,” Det Sen Const Chauhan said.

It turned out the resident was dealing drugs from the address.

“Later in the investigation, an additional $100,000 was seized from the bank accounts of

the accused, so it was a bigger case than anyone expected,” Det Sen Const Chauhan said.

According to Det Sen Const Chauhan, it’s cases like this, with an “unexpected element that you come across”, that means no day is ever alike, and that’s what makes policing a “stand-out” career.

Now, two years into working as an investigator in the Collision Reconstruction and Mechanical Investigation Unit within the Forensic Services Department, Det Sen Const Chauhan is enjoying the variety of jobs he works on and the career progression it's providing.

His role entails using scientific methods to determine an expert opinion on the circumstances of a vehicle collision that has resulted in death or serious injury, and where an element of criminality on the part of any driver is involved.

This could involve estimating the speed of vehicles prior to the collision, determining vehicle movement, if a seatbelt was worn at the time of the collision, and exactly where the collision happened.

“The best part of this job is that we speak on behalf of the victims of these crimes because, a lot of the time, it could be one person's word against the other or, sometimes, the victim of the crime may be deceased, so they don't have someone to tell their story,” he said.

It was a sergeant at Mornington Police Station that predicted Det Sen Const Chauhan would end up working in the area of vehicle collisions, essentially going from “designing vehicles to crashing vehicles”.

“This role is perfect for me because I love policing, I love automobiles, and I love investigation,” he said.

Det Sen Const Chauhan has no plans to leave his current role but, if he had to, he has some ideas.

“Maybe the Homicide Squad or Armed Crime Squad because I love catching crooks,” he said.

This is a passion that now runs in his family, with Det Sen Const Chauhan’s policing career inspiring his wife to become a protective services officer, making them colleagues.

Images Focus on facts

01 Det Sen Const Sandeep Singh Chauhan uses his specialist skills to speak for victims of vehicle collisions.

02 Protective Services Officer Aakanksha Sharma was inspired by her husband to join Victoria Police.

Editorial: Emily Wan

Photography: Jesse Wray-McCann and supplied

Caillan’s change of pace

When Constable Caillan Hoole entered the Victoria Police Academy as a recruit, he brought with him a bit of insider knowledge. Const Hoole is one of the increasing number of Victoria Police's Victorian Public Service employees (VPS) to have traded their support role for a career on the frontline.

It was late in 2020 that Const Hoole decided to make the move from his native Queensland to Victoria, applying for a job as a VPS employee with Victoria Police.

“I was already looking to make the move to Victoria when I saw an advertisement for an executive assistant to the commander in North-West Metro Region,” Const Hoole said.

“I had previously worked for Queensland Police for three years, one of those years I worked in a range of administrative roles and the other two years as a police dispatcher and call taker.”

Const Hoole’s application was successful and he started working in the head office of NorthWest Metro Region in November 2020, where he was exposed to the many different facets of frontline policing.

“Working as a VPS employee provided me with invaluable experience and first-hand knowledge as to what goes on behind the scenes,” he said.

“I had always wanted to become a police officer, especially after working alongside them in Queensland, but working firstly in a support role with Victoria Police gave me the opportunity to understand the culture and values of the organisation.”

Const Hoole said his experience as a VPS employee made a notable difference when he went through the application process to become a frontline police officer and commenced his training.

It’s a sentiment echoed by Commander Mark Galliott, who managed Const Hoole during his time as a VPS employee.

“Working firstly in a VPS role enabled Caillan to better understand Victoria Police and develop a range of skills, which provided a great base to transition into a uniform role,” Cmdr Galliott said.

Const Hoole was inducted into a squad at the Victoria Police Academy in November 2022.

“You go into the Academy with 20 random strangers and, by the end of your training, you’ve made so many close friendships,” he said.

“The people are by far the best thing about this organisation.”

His work placements so far have included the Road Policing Drug and Alcohol Section, Footscray Police Station and highway patrol.

“When I was with Queensland Police, I was working alongside police investigating sexual offences and child abuse, which I thought was an area I would like to work in as a police officer,” he said.

“But since I’ve been out of the Academy, engaging with the community is probably the thing I have enjoyed most so far, as well as being able to help people.

“Even when you're going to a job and you're walking through a shopping centre, people wave at you and will have a quick chat.

“It’s my favourite part of the job – getting out there in the community, and not being stuck behind a desk 24/7.”

So, would Const Hoole recommend policing to those he worked alongside in the public service?

"Yes, it just makes sense, because VPS already demonstrate Victoria Police's values and they already understand how the organisation works," he said.

"You don't have to wonder if you're the right fit for the organisation, because you're already part of it."

Image Trading places

Const Caillan Hoole has switched from sitting behind a desk to serving on the frontline.

Editorial: Nadine Lyford

Photography: Jesse Wray-McCann

Looking for a career where you can reach your potential and make a difference?

You could be part of the team supporting the needs of the Victorian community every day. To apply, visit police.vic.gov.au/police

CAUGHT ON CAMERA

Connect with us

Follow Victoria Police on Facebook by visiting facebook.com/victoriapolice

Follow Victoria Police on Instagram at instagram.com/victoriapolice

Follow Victoria Police on LinkedIn by visiting linkedin.com/company/ victoriapolice

Follow Victoria Police on X at x.com/victoriapolice

Celebrating pride: LGBTIQA+ Liaison Officers Senior Constable Matthew Oliver, Sergeant Henry Clarke and Sergeant Sarrah O’Keefe at Drag’d Out, an all-inclusive arts festival, in Beechworth.

Over and out: Deputy Commissioner Neil Paterson presents a commendation of service to former Detective Senior Sergeant Joy Murphy, the world’s longest serving female police officer, at her retirement celebration.

Starting small: Acting Sergeant Nathan Davis with five-year-old ‘Sergeant Brown’ at St Joseph’s School in Wonthaggi.

To the rescue: Constable Brent Taylor moves a turtle out of harm’s way while on patrol in Benalla.

Anywhere, anytime: Victoria Police’s Road Policing Drug and Alcohol Section conducts roadside drug and alcohol testing on the Monash Freeway.

Standing in solidarity: Sergeant Dagmar Andersen, Acting Senior Sergeant Andrew Cummins, Inspector Jon Woodyatt, Claire Waterman, Helen Bond and Senior Sergeant Stylianos Spyrou at the Walk Against Family Violence in Melbourne.

Training to travel: Transit Safety Division’s Sergeant Julie Hose accompanies members of the Sunbury Community Register on the train to build their confidence using Melbourne’s public transport network.

DOUBLE THE COURAGE

A Warragul detective has become the second person in Victoria Police history to be awarded the Medal for Courage twice.  Detective Senior Constable Callum Scott was presented the second accolade late last year for his role in rescuing a drowning man from the Yarra River at Southbank in August 2020.

Det Sen Const Scott, who is now based at Baw Baw Crime Investigation Unit, said he was “humbled to be recognised”.

“I feel like I was in the right place at the right time, and I am sure any other member would have done what I did in the same circumstances,” Det Sen Const Scott said.

The Medal for Courage recognises officers who have fulfilled their duties in dangerous and volatile operational circumstances.

Det Sen Const Scott’s latest award, presented at the Victoria Police Academy by Deputy Commissioner Neil Paterson, takes the form of a clasp to affix to his first medal.

He received his first medal for rescuing a man who suffered severe burns to the hands and face when a gas cylinder he was working on ignited at Wheelers Hill in August 2012.

MARINE TEAM MAKES WAVES

A new specialist team has hit the water, giving Victoria Police a greater capability to respond to some of the most high-risk search and rescue incidents.

The Small Boat Team, embedded in the Water Police Squad, was first deployed in December 2023 and comprises 10 specially trained members. The team can quickly respond to search and rescue incidents on the water, as well as reach people on human-powered vessels like kayaks and paddleboards who get stranded or need urgent assistance.

“The team uses a mix of jet skis and inflatable rescue boats both inland and across the coast,” Water Police Squad Acting Inspector Victor Velthuis said.

“The smaller vessels are more manoeuvrable, making it easier to access hard-to-reach areas like sea caves, cliffs and rocky shorelines when responding to search and rescue incidents.”

Each Small Boat Team officer is skilled in rescue swimming and snorkelling in rough seas, readying them to act swiftly in complex marine emergencies.

NEW DEPUTY COMMISSIONER CHOSEN

Recently-appointed Deputy Commissioner Robert Hill said he is looking forward to the challenge of leading vital reforms that will continue to shape Victoria Police.

DC Hill was appointed to the role of Deputy Commissioner, Capability in October 2023 following the departure of Rick Nugent, who left mid-year to take up the role of Commissioner at Emergency Management Victoria.

Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said DC Hill was a highlysuccessful police leader with extensive operational, specialist and corporate experience.

“Combined with his dedication, strong stakeholder engagement and strategic mindset, I am confident DC Hill will continue to deliver outcomes that benefit Victoria Police and the Victorian community as a whole,” CCP Patton said.

DC Hill said he looked forward to working to address the immediate and future challenges faced by the organisation.

“We have a very talented workforce, and my focus will be centred on ensuring our people maintain the requisite skills, are fully equipped, and strongly supported to deliver exceptional policing services,” DC Hill said.

DC Hill is the first deputy commissioner to be appointed since DC Neil Paterson and DC Ross Guenther were promoted in 2020.

In addition, Libby Murphy has returned to Victoria Police as an Assistant Commissioner after a two-year stint as Chief Operations Officer at Ambulance Victoria.

Made for more purpose

At Victoria Police you will enjoy a purposeful career making a real difference in your community, with more benefits including a generous starting salary, 9 weeks paid leave and access to ongoing training and support.

Start your career with Victoria Police today.