23 December 2004
Territory Community Welcomes Squad 79
 |
Paul Henderson MLA
Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services
Related Links
This page
is maintained by the
Office of the Chief Minister
Police Minister Henderson today congratulated the successful graduation of the Territory’s latest recruits to the Police Force—Squad 79.
“As a community, the Territory can be proud of these men and women on the tremendous hard work they have put in over the last six months,” said Mr Henderson.
“We are absolutely on target to boost Police on the beat by 200 positions over four years made possible by Labor’s $75 million Building our Police Force Plan.”
“It might seem pretty straight forward to don the uniform of Australia ’s best police force but it’s not—there is a rigorous selection process, a strenuous training program and this is followed by a career of community service and sacrifice.
“Squad 79 has already demonstrated this in their active involvement in searches surrounding a murder inquiry and missing persons, as well as community activities such as Blue Light Discos; work with disabled students and volunteer activities.
“I am especially pleased to see that a significantly higher proportion of our recruits to the Force has been drawn from the Territory than has been the case in the past.
Mr Henderson said that the 23 graduates would serve throughout the Territory, with 10 being posted to Alice Springs , two each to Tennant Creek and Katherine and nine to Darwin . A further 21 recruits are currently being trained as Squad 80 and due to graduate in March 2005. Staff at the Police College will commence working with Squad 81 in the new year.
“You only have to look to the early 1990s to see the real difference we are making in achieving a safer community for us all—between 1991 and 1994 not a single officer graduated.
“We now have an expanding, sustainable Police Force that is the envy of other jurisdictions in the nation,” said Mr Henderson.