Inaugural cohort of First Nations participants graduate police diversity program

Seven students have braved lockdowns, floods, and fitness tests to graduate from the Victoria Police Aboriginal Diversity Recruitment Program, which aims to improve the diversity of the force by preparing candidates to navigate the Victoria Police recruitment process.

At the Aboriginal Advancement League’s community centre in the Melbourne suburb of Thornbury on Saturday, the graduating group heard of their cohort’s significance from Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner, Luke Cornelius, who said it was an “extraordinary privilege” to stand before the graduates and their families.

“We’ve long understood in policing, and we forget it to our cost, that we cannot police effectively unless we represent and reflect the community we police,” he said.

“This program has allowed us to support an extraordinary range of highly talented people from diverse backgrounds, which is very much in keeping with our aspiration in Victoria Police be here for, and from, the community.”

Participants represented seven Aboriginal groups, including Yorta Yorta, Palawa, Taungurung, Arrernte, Gunaikurnai, Yamatji, Wongi and Gunditjmara mobs, and live in both metro and regional areas of Victoria – including the locality of Shepparton, which in late 2022 experienced severe flooding that sent aspects of the 15-week program online.

“It shows you the perseverance and uplift of the program,” said Adam Shoemaker, Vice-Chancellor of Victoria University, which delivers the Victoria Police Diversity Recruitment Programin partnership with Jesuit Social Services and Victoria Police, as well as Steering Committee partners AMES Australia, MatchWorks, Maurice Blackburn and Africause. “It’s powerful.”

Graduates attended three nights per week of classes, which covered core topics in the police recruitment process – including the entrance exam, fitness and First Aid, and learnt from guest speakers, police mentors, and each other.

Graduate Laila said growing up in regional Western Australia, she had always wanted to be a police officer, but the difficulty of the entrance exam put qualifying out of reach.

“It’s a struggle – me and maths, we don’t connect,” she told the graduating group, with a laugh.

Laila said she and other graduates had gained new insights and connections from completing the program – bonding “like a family” as well as navigating the course content.

“This program is fantastic for any Aboriginal person wanting to serve their community,” she said.

“I think it’s a great opportunity to emphasise your skills, learn more, collaborate, get to know each other as a team – this program brings us all together.”

Graduates heard a guest presentation from Inspector Stephen Braithwaite, a Gunaikurnai man with 40 years’ experience on the force, who encouraged graduates to persevere throughout the Victoria Police recruitment process.

“The opportunity you’re going to get here is to grab front-row tickets to the greatest show on earth,” he said. “Don’t waste this opportunity you’re given here today.”

Since its inception in 2018, the Victoria Police Diversity Recruitment Program has supported over 190 students from 55 cultures to successfully complete the course. Sixty-six have sat and passed the Victoria Police entrance exam.

The program’s eligibility was expanded in the 2022 Victorian Budget and is now available to eligible applications from any culturally and linguistically diverse background and participants who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.

Laila reminded this first graduating group of Aboriginal students of the importance of persistence and resilience in her remarks.

“Life can be challenging at times, but you need to find the motivation from somewhere,” she said.

“It’s important to not give up and keep going. I know I’m not there [yet]. But I know I will make it.”