Prior skills prove useful vehicle

Editorial: Emily Wan

Photography: Jesse Wray-McCann and supplied

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.

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

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 the Victoria Police website.