Two new facilities worth more than $10 million have been officially opened at the NSW Police Academy, bolstering the first class training opportunities available to students.
Police recruits studying at the Goulburn Academy will now benefit by having access to a new skid pan and a refurbished and modernised fitness centre.
The Academy Fitness Centre was upgraded at a cost of $5.5 million, featuring a new gym floor, modern equipment, office space and bathroom facilities. The new, modern centre has increased in size by 40 per cent and provides state of the art gym and fitness equipment.
The gym will assist students to enhance their physical capability through strength and conditioning training, preparing them for the physical demands of operational policing.
The facility also includes a new social recreation area with tennis, basketball, netball and pickleball courts.
New lighting in the outdoor recreation area allows for expanded use by students after hours.
A new, state-of-the-art skid pan has also been built at the nearby Police Driver Training complex, which includes facilities for driver training, operational safety training, firearms training and specialised training for tactical police units.
The new skid pan is a purpose-built driving circuit with a low friction surface designed to safely simulate loss of traction conditions. The expanded circuit cost $5 million to construct.
Students learn complex driving skills on the course, including travelling at speed, evasive braking, vehicle manoeuvring, driving in wet conditions and controlling a vehicle under intense steering and braking.
Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism, Yasmin Catley said these investments were about backing our police with the facilities and training they need to do one of the toughest jobs in this state.
"Strong policing starts with strong training, and that is exactly what these investments deliver," Minister Catley said.
"This is a $10.5 million investment in capability, readiness and officer safety at the NSW Police Academy in Goulburn, to train the police officers of tomorrow.
"We are also working hard to rebuild the recruitment pipeline of the NSW Police Force through paid training, a pathway that allows regional recruits to serve in or near their hometown and the Cadet Traineeship Program to give young people a real pathway into policing."
"This is what backing police looks like: better facilities, better training and real investment in the next generation of officers."
People and Capability Commander, Assistant Commissioner Brett Greentree said the new facilities enhanced the student experience, supported their wellbeing, and reinforced the NSW Police Force's commitment to producing highly capable and well-trained officers.
"These new facilities give our future officers the best possible start to their careers. The demands of modern policing are significant, and this investment at the Academy ensures our recruits are trained to meet those challenges head on," Assistant Commissioner Greentree said.
"Physical capability is a critical part of operational policing. The expanded fitness centre allows students to build the strength, resilience and conditioning they need to keep themselves and the community safe.
"The new skid pan gives our recruits a safe but highly realistic environment to learn advanced driving skills. These are the skills that save lives — not just their own, but the lives of the people they serve."
