Another 20 Tasmanian Police officers are graduating with an Associate Degree Arts (Police Studies) around the State this week.

Tasmania Police’s training and promotion continuum aligns fully with a university degree and as officers advance from recruit training through the promotional process to the sergeants qualifying process, they will also complete the full Bachelor of Social Science (Police Studies) degree.

In addition officers who have been promoted or are seeking promotion to Inspector are now able to complete Professional Honours in Police Studies.  There are 4 officers who will be awarded professional honours this month.

This is the second graduation of officers this year, with 84 officers having graduated in August 2016.  Currently, over one third of Tasmania Police officers are enrolled in university studies, not including those who previously have undergraduate and post graduate degrees.

Commissioner Darren Hine said:

“The specialised educational training that our officers are now completing as part of their training formally establishes policing as the skilled profession it is.

“Anyone who goes on to qualify as a sergeant will achieve a Bachelor Degree in Police Studies as part of the promotion process.

“No other police service in Australia has this sort of professional approach to their work, earning our members a first class reputation throughout the law enforcement field in Australia,” he said.

A Devonport Constable graduated with an Associate Degree at the Burnie Town Hall last week.

The other graduations in Hobart and Launceston will take place at the following locations:

• 30am at the Federation Concert Hall, Hobart on Thursday 15 December
  • 15 Associate Degrees and 3 Professional Honours
• 30pm at the Albert Hall, Launceston on Saturday 17 December
  • 4 Associate Degrees and 1 Professional Honours

Detective Constable Rebecca Taws successfully completed her degree despite a 12 month battle with cancer. Constable Taws was able to put her degree on hold temporarily while she underwent treatment, before resuming her studies in 2016. She will be graduating with her husband, Sergeant Jayson Taws at the Hobart ceremony.

Professional Honours award recipient Inspector Kim Steven will receive his award at the Launceston graduation.  This will be of special significance for Inspector Steven as his daughter will also be graduating from the University of Tasmania that day with a Bachelor of Health Science.