Minister for Police and Corrective Services and Minister for Fire and Emergency Services, the Honourable Mark Ryan MP today joined Commissioner Katarina Carroll to witness the swearing in of 43 new police to the Queensland Police Service.
Graduates from the North Queensland campus of the Queensland Police Service Academy were inducted into the Service as First Year Constables at Townsville Stadium.
The new First Year Constables will be posted to stations around the state, with a notable focus on Queensland's northern and central regions.
With a diverse range of career and cultural backgrounds, these First Year Constables have spent the past 25 weeks training for their new roles as police officers.
This latest graduation follows last week's graduation of 96 new officers at the Oxley Academy in Brisbane.
In addition, another 120 recruits began training at Oxley last week, and another cohort of recruits will enter the Townsville academy in early July.
In total, it means that in just a matter of weeks, more than 300 new police recruits will have either just begun or just completed their training.
This recruitment is part of the government's commitment to deliver an extra 2,025 police personnel over five years.
The training delivered at the North Queensland Academy enables First Year Constables to begin their QPS careers with well-honed policing skills, capable of performing operational duties at a level to affirm community and officer safety.
The officers will now undertake a further 12 months of station-based training as First Year Constables, which sees them assessed on their management of a range of real-world policing scenarios.
Commissioner Carroll congratulated the First Year Constables on their graduation and wished them well for their careers ahead.
"This is the first of many milestones in what will be challenging and fulfilling careers of these new police," Commissioner Carroll said.
"There will be many chances ahead to learn and grow within the Service, and I encourage these First Year Constables to embrace the opportunities available to them in their first year in their roles.
"There will be triumphs and moments for humble reflection, but with a willingness to learn and serve, the first year of a police officer's career will be an incredibly rewarding experience."
Minister Ryan thanked the graduates for making the choice to undertake a career in policing.
"It is an admirable decision to choose a career as a police officer, and I commend these First Year Constables for making that choice," Minister Ryan said.
"The career of a police officer is unlike any other, where the safety and security of the community is in the hands of these officers".
"I applaud these First Year Constables for making the commitment to undertake a career in policing and in service of the Queensland community.
"Today's graduation of these new police officers demonstrates yet again the Palaszczuk Government's commitment to investing in the front-line personnel who make such a difference to community safety.
"And it also illustrates the government's commitment to supporting jobs as a key part of Queensland's plan for economic recovery from COVID-19."
