Police Commissioner, Katarina Carroll has announced that the graduations of police recruits nearing the completion of their training are to be fast-tracked.
Commissioner Carroll (pictured) said the move would achieve two objectives, the first of which would reduce the risk of transmitting the COVID-19 virus in Queensland’s Police Academies which housed more than 750 recruits, in-service course participants and training staff across its three campuses.
“Secondly, it will immediately support the number of front-line police officers,” Commissioner Carroll said.
She said police recruits underwent a training regime for approximately six months by which their decisions were sensible and in the best interests of the community.
She said there were currently four intakes of recruits at the Oxley campus and one intake at the Townsville campus.
“Police recruit Intake Four of 2019 consists of 83 recruits who commenced their training on 30 September 2019,” Commissioner Carroll said.
“These recruits will now graduate at once, bringing this date forward from the scheduled 2 April.”
The move was welcomed by the Minister for Police, Mark Ryan.
“These are not ordinary times and we have to prepare for what lies ahead,” Mr Ryan said.
“Commissioner Carroll has rightly recognised that it is better to take action early, to support the ranks of our police now,” he said.
“The Police Commissioner’s decision will also free up officers who would otherwise be involved in training those recruits, further supporting the number of officers on the front line.”
Commissioner Carroll said every graduate would be provided with the highest level of professional supervision in their early months “as occurs with every graduate from the Academies”.
