EIGHTY-nine new recruits are celebrating the beginning of their challenging and rewarding careers within the Queensland Police Service (QPS), after graduating at the Oxley Police Academy.
The new First Year Constables (FYC) were officially inducted into the QPS on Thursday 19 October by Police Minister Mark Ryan, Commissioner Katarina Carroll and Assistant Commissioner Mark Kelly, after completing 36-weeks at the academy where they underwent extensive training in physical skills, driving, firearms and field craft.
Over the next 12 months, the FYCs will undertake a further station-based training, which will see them assessed on their management of a range of real-world policing scenarios.
These skills will provide essential value across the sunshine State, as the graduates are deployed throughout Queensland to protect and serve communities.
Among the graduates, Recruit Ricardo Beira was nominated by his peers for the Leadership Award for his outstanding qualities of team-work, academy spirit, organisation and responsibility.
“I am so excited to have completed my training and to be a member of the QPS family,” he said.
After serving 13 years as a Rifleman in the Australian Defence Force, I wanted a career change that allowed me to continue protecting and serving my community
QPS Recruit Ricardo Beira
“It was extremely rewarding to learn while bonding with the other recruits, and I am so glad to be walking out of here confident in the skills of QPS’s newest First Year Constables.”
The cohort come from a variety of professional backgrounds, bringing valuable skills and experience from industries both within and outside of Australia including defence, nursing and volunteering.
Of this years 89 graduates, 16 of them come from QPS families who are currently or have previously protected and served Queenslanders.
This graduating squad is the first to graduate following the launch of QPS’ largest recruitment campaign ‘Challenging. Rewarding. Policing.’
QPS recruits are paid to train at the Academy, earning a full-time salary and receiving a cost of living allowance whilst undertaking their training and development.
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