Page 892 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 22 March 2017
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employees. The group is made up of eight women and 10 men. As the representative for Yerrabi, the member will be interested to note that 10 of the new ACT Policing officers will be deployed to the north district. The remaining eight will be deployed to the south district. Their final stations will be determined by operational demands and, of course, priorities.
These new ACT Policing officers will join a professional, dynamic and service-focused organisation that does an outstanding job in ensuring Canberra remains a safe place to live and work. As I said in the Assembly annual reports hearing just last week, the government’s commitment to keeping Canberra safe is only made possible through the dedication and commitment of the Chief Police Officer, Justine Saunders, and her officers and professional staff. Any police force is only as good as its members, and I am proud to say that ACT Policing is very good.
On behalf of the government, I would like to welcome these 18 new recruits. I am sure they will have some fond memories of their recruit college, and I thank them for their commitment to the community. Hats off to the new recruits.
MS ORR: Minister, could you please give the Assembly some more detail about the training and induction process undertaken by new ACT Policing recruits?
MR GENTLEMAN: I thank Ms Orr for her supplementary. I am pleased to inform the Assembly that ACT Policing places an extremely high importance on training its members. This begins on entry, but by no means ends there. ACT Policing officers continue to participate in professional development throughout their careers.
New recruits to ACT Policing typically undertake the 24-week recruit course at the AFP College in Barton. I have fond memories of the college. During the course police recruits undertake training in a variety of areas, including law and evidence, investigation techniques, police powers, defensive skills and the intelligence process. Of course, also involved are firearms, driver and physical training. Following graduation, police graduates complete a three-week local procedures program which provides the specific knowledge necessary for them to be able to undertake community policing duties in the ACT. This program includes a variety of orientation activities and exposure to specific ACT Policing procedures.
The graduates undertake training regarding effective responses to family violence and mental health incidents. Furthermore, the graduates develop an awareness of the importance of restorative justice practices and the legislative and operational sensitivities associated with children and young people. After completing the local procedures program, all graduates undertake a two-week rotation to traffic before commencing at their designated station.
MS CHEYNE: Minister, could you please give the Assembly an idea about the diverse experience and background of officers with ACT Policing?
MR GENTLEMAN: I thank Ms Cheyne for her supplementary. ACT Policing members have an extremely diverse range of skills and backgrounds. This is an
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