Recruiting on all fronts: Geraldton police urge locals to join the force

Geraldton police are encouraging locals who might have once thought about a career with the police to consider joining the force as part of a mammoth recruitment drive.

WA Police is in the middle of a four-year recruitment campaign which aims to see 950 extra officers added to the front line of emergency services. Geraldton Police Station officer-in-charge Sen. Sgt Chris Martin said there were many avenues to joining the force.

“We are recruiting on all fronts,” he said. “I’ve been a cop now for 18 years. It’s a fantastic job.”

But he said getting through the training course at Joondalup Police Academy was no mean feat.

PC Lauren Brand is one recently graduated officer who can back up that piece of advice.

“You’ve got to get into your prime fitness to get in,” she said.

“I was initially a nurse in Perth, which was great, I loved interacting with the community. But the sad thing was once they left those doors and were discharged that was far as my care was able to go. I was up for a bit of a challenge and joined up.”

PC Brand said she requested to work in Geraldton because she wanted to work regionally after living in Perth most of her life.

“I found Geraldton a really good spot as a young constable because you are able to go into communities and speak with vulnerable people and engage with families and get to the bottom of issues,” she said.

“A huge issue that we face as police officers all over the country is domestic violence between families. I find that when you engage with families and offer them support, sometimes all they need is someone to talk to.”

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A Geraldton man who swapped “beers for badges” says he joined the force to give back to the community he grew up in.

PC Keelan Purcell graduated from Geraldton Senior High School in 2017 and “dabbled” in bar work for a few years before he signed up.

Graduating with flying colours, he returned to Geraldton for his probationary period.

“You’re given every piece of kit to do the job,” he said.

“Often the biggest one you need is your voice. If you can speak to somebody, well, that’s all you really need.”

For information on joining WA Police, visit www.letsjoinforces.wa.gov.au.