Police Minister Paul Papalia and Commissioner Chris Dawson have welcomed 54 new officers into the Western Australian Police.
Family, friends and loved ones assembled to cheer on 41 men and 18 women from Red and White Squads as they graduated training at the Joondalup academy.
The reinforcement to the ranks marks another milestone in the McGowan Government’s commitment to put more police on WA streets than ever before.
570 people have already joined the blue family as a result of the State Government’s commitment to enlist 950 new officers to the force over four years.
The recruits, who celebrated the completion of their 28-week intensive foundation training course, continue to come from a range of backgrounds with a variety of life experience.
The youngest graduate was just 19 years old – the oldest, 50 years old.
Two of the officers are Aboriginal, six originate from culturally and linguistically diverse communities and six can speak another language.
As stated by Police Minister Paul Papalia:
“The McGowan Government is committed to continuing our record police recruitment drive and making WA safer for our community. We already have more officers on our streets than ever before, and they are better resourced than ever before.
“These new recruits have joined a world class police force, where they will have the opportunity to pursue meaningful, exciting, and diverse careers. They will have the guidance and mentorship of officers who have helped keep WA safe through a time of unprecedented challenge.
“They will get to make their own mark during an exciting time in law enforcement, as we continue to invest in cutting edge technology and deliver our State the police force of tomorrow, today.”
