Christmas has come early for 23 South Australia Police (SAPOL) officers who will graduate tomorrow from Course 63.
Ranging in age from 18 to 42 years, 17 men and six women bring diverse employment backgrounds to policing, including corrections, hospitality, retail, defence, health, trade and security.
Some course members have journeyed from regional areas, including Orroroo and Millicent. Others have international backgrounds.
Prior to joining SAPOL, Hayley worked at the Department for Child Protection, bringing experience dealing with vulnerable children and young people to her new role.
"I took the children and young people to see their family or significant person for a supervised visit," she said.
"This taught me skills of conflict resolution and gave me an exposure to issues on child abuse in the state that police officers regularly investigate."
Hayley considered her Course 63 comrades as family.
"Everyone was there for you whenever needed. The course has a very strong bond and we also hang out after hours to help and support each other, whether it was personal or work related," she added.
Fellow graduate, Balwinder,worked as a correctional officer in New South Wales and South Australia, before studying at SAPOL's academy. He has also been a reservist in the defence force for more than six years.
"Prior experience and knowledge prompted me to join the front line, and I moved from New South Wales to South Australia just for SAPOL," he said.
"The process was very straight forward, and although it took me 10 months to get through, it was worth waiting for it.
"I would like to work in the traffic and major crash section in the future."
Becoming a police officer is fulfilling a life-long dream for Course 63 member, Damian, who brings a love of sport and background in sales.
"It's amazing how fast the academy time goes! When you first start, it feels like nine months is a long time, but all of a sudden it's over," he revealed.
"Prior to joining SAPOL, I was working as a sales representative for various different companies. I also enjoy playing a lot of social sport including football, cricket, and basketball.
"These experiences have assisted me in my role with SAPOL, teaching me how to talk to people and have meaningful conversations, how to be resilient and to not give up."
Damian encouraged people considering a career change to give policing a go.
"Don't ever think that it is too late or that you couldn't do it. I joined at 42 and had a lot of self-doubt during the recruitment process and early at the academy," he added.
The new police officers will be stationed in metropolitan Adelaide and regional areas, including Whyalla, Gawler, Port Augusta, Mount Gambier, and Murray Bridge.
SAPOL is currently recruiting and is keen to hear from people interested in an inspiring career with unmatched experiences and rewards.
If you're looking for job security, career progression pathways and a chance to make a real difference in local communities visit achievemore.com.au
Damian, Balwinder and Hayley are among Course 63 members to graduate from the South Australia Police Academy tomorrow.
