The new Tasmania Police recruits being sworn in today bring a variety of life experience to their new positions. Among the twenty being inducted into the Tasmania Police Academy today are a missionary, an international flight attendant, a lawyer, former police officers, an Australian Champion Cyclist and a former Professional Cricketer and coach.

The varied backgrounds and interests of the successful applicants, show that Policing as a career appeals to a broad cross-section of our community.

“The recruits have taken their first steps on the policing career ladder and soon they will walking the beat with their peers,” said Commissioner of Police, Darren Hine.

“The Tasmania Police Academy will be a place of learning, sharing experiences, developing trust relationships and intensive training for the next 28 weeks for these new recruits, and I wish them every success,” he said.

“Policing is a challenging and rewarding career but it is much more than that. The new recruits will learn all the elements of operational policing including the study of law, criminal investigations, public order and road policing. Importantly everything they learn is underpinned by our organisational values of integrity, equity and accountability.”

Healthy lifestyle activities feature highly among the recruits with a number trained in health and physical education.

Recruit Ben Grenda comes to policing from a Cycling background. 24 year old Ben is an accomplished rider, he has been an Australian Champion, competed successfully as a cyclist in Australia and overseas and has represented Australia in under 19, under 23 and elite competitions. He joins his father, Constable Michael Grenda who graduated from Course 1/2013 in February 2014, in the service.

Also with a successful sporting background, Recruit Anthony Marr has played cricket professionally in South Yorkshire, UK and has coached all grades from Under 9’s to 1st grade teams.

Recruit Jesse Barnard aged 20, is also a keen sportsman and qualified personal trainer. Jesse has frequently travelled overseas to perform mission work such as building orphanages.

Recruit Fabienne Jamieson also brings a wealth of travel experience to the group having worked as an international Flight Stewardess for a number of years.

There are twenty recruits in this new course, comprising of 8 women and 12 men.

There are two ex-police officers from interstate, 3 from the Western Policing District, 4 from Northern and 11 from Southern District.

They will graduate in March 2015.