Queensland Police Service (QPS) General Duties officers are the people on the front line every day, patrolling our communities and responding in times of need.
Senior Constable Jasmine Rayner, now a plain clothes officer working in Brisbane, has previously served the people of the Gold Coast in the Rapid Action Patrols (RAP) unit, and is passionate about her work.
“The reason I joined the QPS was because I wanted to make a difference in the community,” Senior Constable Rayner said.
After her academy training, she spent her first year at Redcliffe Police Station.
“I was really lucky there. They had some really good field training officers. They showed me the ropes.”
When she was posted to the Gold Coast, Senior Constable Rayner decided to volunteer for a transfer to the RAP unit, known for its ‘hub policing’ team.
As General Duties officers have the option of specialising, Senior Constable Rayner chose to work in the Criminal Investigation Branch.
“Even as a General Duties officer, there’s sort of room for movement,” she said.
“There, I was getting a lot of experience executing search warrants focusing on firearms possession intended for use within offences of violence.
“We look to proactively target firearms and persons utilising firearms to further their criminal enterprises.”
It’s not all fast-paced excitement, though: there’s still paperwork to get done.
“It is part and parcel with every job you go to, if it’s a traffic crash, a violence incident or preparing search warrants,” she said.
“I don’t like being behind the desk but it’s a necessary evil.”
As you’d expect, there are other challenges police officers need to overcome besides a bit of desk work.
Sometimes it’s just having to deal with disrespect on the job, while other times Senior Constable Rayner has to manage confronting and difficult situations.
She found the skills to deal with this came from experience.
“They prepare you at the academy. They cover all the different jobs that you go to, but you don’t really start to really develop as an officer until your first year where you’re out on the road, and that’s when you really start learning,” she said.
Even when she’s off the clock, Senior Constable Rayner keeps working.
“When I’m not wearing the blue uniform I’m often wearing the green uniform: I’m an army reservist,” she said.
“I work as a light artillery gunner, so I go away a couple of times a year with the army.”
Working for the QPS means Senior Constable Rayner gets military leave of 36 days a year, letting her pursue both of her passions.
She does allow herself some time off as well, riding her motorbike or taking her dogs out to the great Gold Coast beaches.
Even her ‘down-time’, though, isn’t completely free of the ‘law enforcement’ theme.
“If I’m having a lazy day I sit on the couch and binge-watch Brooklyn 99,” she said.
Of course, you need that enthusiasm and dedication to make this your dream job despite the challenges.
In her role at the QPS, Senior Constable Rayner has found the ideal career for doing the work and recreation, she loves.
“I also wanted a job where I could be physically active and not always stuck behind a desk,” she said.
“But mostly I just want to catch bad guys.”
This is Jasmine’s story. What’s yours?
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This is Jasmine’s story, what’s yours?
