3 minute read
New skipper makes waves
Editorial and photography: Jesse Wray-McCann
When Senior Constable Kate Middleton was just 12 years old, she regularly pulled people out of the water while driving her yacht club’s rescue boat.
Sen Const Middleton even earned a special exemption to gain her commercial boat skipper’s tickets before she was old enough to drive a car.
So it’s probably no surprise that she continues to be a trailblazer now with Victoria Police, having become the Water Police’s first ever female ocean-going skipper.
Based at the Gippsland Water Police in Paynesville, Sen Const Middleton (pictured below) was earlier this year certified as the master of the unit’s 16-metre ocean vessel.
The role of skipper comes with plenty of responsibilities, not only when it comes to Victoria Police’s own procedures, but also with the laws and regulations of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.
But for nearly two decades Sen Const Middleton had carved out a career as a commercial skipper on charter and heavy haulage boats, before joining Victoria Police in 2015.
After just a few short years of working in general duties roles, Sen Const Middleton achieved her dream of working at the Water Police in 2020.
The role is even better than she imagined.
“It’s the best job in Victoria Police,” she said.
“Here in Victoria, we have nearly 2200 nautical miles of coastline that we cover, and it’s a big ocean with a lot of incidents and offshore work that we do.
“When people come to work here, they tend not to leave, so the members who have been here for 20–30 years, their knowledge of the local areas and of marine search and rescue is just phenomenal to learn from.”
Those younger years spent driving the rescue boat at her local yacht club come in handy for the bulk of her Water Police work, which is marine search and rescue.
“Earlier this year we were called out in the middle of the night to help a 20-metre sailing vessel that was disabled in bad weather and one of the crew members had badly broken his leg,” she said.
“We managed to tow their vessel to sheltered waters and evacuate the injured man.
“The remaining people on their vessel tried to then make it to a safe harbour but ran into trouble again the next day, which is when we had to evacuate them all.
“It was a four-day job in really challenging conditions and circumstances, but we got them all safely back on shore.
That’s what the job is all about being able to help fellow boaties when they need it the most.
Water Police Inspector James Dalton praised Sen Const Middleton for her “dedication, skill, and pioneering spirit”.
“This milestone is a source of immense pride for all of us, and we eagerly anticipate her continued contributions and leadership on the high seas,” Insp Dalton said.
After spending much of her career in a male-dominated industry, Sen Const Middleton is happy to keep leading the way for women.
“I’ve always been proactive in supporting women in sailing and teaching women through boating safety courses and rescue courses, so coming here to the Water Police is another great way I can keep supporting that,” she said.
