The country's calling

Editorial: Emily Wan

Photography: Sergeant Matthew Tanner

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”.