Have you ever been curious about a career that allows you to connect with community, while having ample opportunity for career growth? A career with the Queensland Police Service (QPS) offers endless possibilities and supportive entry pathways.
One of these pathways is the First Nations Recruit Preparation Pathway (FNRPP) – a 6-week, full-time course at the QPS Academy, that supports aspiring First Nations police recruits. This program is integral in forming part of the Service’s commitment to equal opportunity and diversity in employment, providing First Nations people the tools to progress with a career in policing.
The FNRPP course includes both theory and practical components, which are designed to provide and reinforce the skills necessary for completing the police recruiting process and training, as well as providing background on the QPS and Queensland Government structure and systems.
Applicants who successfully progress through the FNRPP will then advance through the selection process and receive an offer to commence the 8-month recruit training program at one of the QPS Academies in either Brisbane or Townsville.
Acting Sergeant Patricia Pedro is a First Nations police officer, who has served in the Queensland Police for over 19 years. Patricia works on Thursday Island in the Torres Strait with her husband who is a Police Liaison Officer.
Patricia has connections to Bindal/Wulgurukaba, in the North Townsville Burdekin area through her grandparents, as well as links to Stradbroke Island, Quandamooka tribe and further west, the Winton Koa tribe. She has implemented several initiatives into the Service to encourage more First Nations people to apply for policing roles.
Patricia was recently involved in the “Our Law” documentary series on NITV and SBS, sharing a glimpse into her life as a First Nations police officer, navigating how to effectively police in First Nations communities where she has been instrumental in driving change in the Service, building education and delivering training of cultural capability skills.
Patricia was directly involved in the creation and delivery of Cultural Capabilities training to over 500 recruits at both Brisbane and Townsville Police Academies, which has now been implemented as compulsory training for all QPS sworn and unsworn staff. As the lead facilitator and subject matter expert, Patricia uses her cultural knowledge and operational experience to ensure that the Service is delivering culturally appropriate and involved training to its current and future police personnel.
The training Patricia leads is imperative for increasing awareness of how to positively engage with the First Nations communities in Queensland, build trusting relationships, and influence better policing in diverse communities.
Patricia finds great satisfaction and passion in training members of the Service, and in helping people build their cultural capability skills to work towards safer policing.
“Being a First Nations woman and policewoman, I know I am positively contributing to re-building trust and re-framing relationships between police and First Nations communities. That is a huge priority and passion of mine, and it is extremely important,” Acting Sergeant Patricia Pedro said.
“First Nations representation in policing is so integral for enhancing Service delivery and educating people on how to appropriately police in diverse communities.
“We need our own people to police our own people; we need to be just as involved in policing at the same level as anybody else.”
If you’re interested in learning how you can progress through the FNRPP, visit the QPS website, PoliceRecruit.qld.gov.au, and discover the range of career pathways the Service offers.
https://www.policerecruit.qld.gov.au/first-nations-entry-pathway