Academy Recruit: 1986 vs 2023

Life at the Victoria Police Academy for a recruit today is vastly different compared to 1986, when Detective Senior Sergeant Diane Wilson graduated.??

Barring the more obvious changes to facilities, technology and training, perhaps a more subtle (yet significant) change is the police uniform for women.?

When Diane joined, women still largely wore skirts, despite slacks being approved in the early 1980s.??

?“The skirt was fine when in the office, but totally impractical for operational duties,” Diane recalls.??

“They were fitted quite tight and had a pocket sewn into the inside seam where were kept our baton."

"Getting over a fence, climbing over anything really was problematic.? When the need arose to tackle a suspect or offender it was very difficult maintaining your dignity and getting the job done."

"There were no pockets in the shirt either - so notebooks and pens were placed down your shirt or back waistband of your skirt.”??

Police handbags were issued from the 1970s to mid-1980s to use at formal occasions.

Once Diane graduated and left the Academy, she only used the handbag once due to its impracticality.??

Today, all recruits are issued with a “kit” bag. The bag is designed to carry a wide range of equipment, including items such as their police badge, a radio, handcuffs, and a daybook. Recruits will continue to use the kit when they’re out on duty after they graduate, like recent graduate, Constable Alexis Miller.??

?Alexis graduated from the Academy in April this year, after previously working as a store manager overseas, and in administration.??

When asked what drew her to a career with Victoria Police she said,?

“I'm from a policing family.? A significant life highlight for me was being able to watch with great pride my mum graduate, and then have front row seats to all the diversity and experiences she encountered in her career, which inspired me to follow in her footsteps.”?

Diane, now a Detective at the Centre of Crime Investigation, was similarly drawn by virtue of her own mum, who was a cleaner at Moonee Ponds Police Station.???

“She would regale me with stories about what the police members would get up to and it sounded like a fun place to work. And it was.”??

Despite their different Academy experiences, both Diane and Alexis speak fondly of the comradery and lasting friendships they made while at the Academy and the challenges they faced, with Alexis’ recent experience attesting to this.?

?“Without doubt, the Academy was an extremely challenging journey where I was significantly pushed out of my comfort zone, but an experience that I will forever look back on with a sense of achievement and with great fondness of lifelong friendships made.”????

?As for the best advice they have for those considering a career in policing:?

?Alexis: “Just go for it. Don’t overthink things, just do it and enjoy the ride!”??

?Diane: “Policing is a fantastic career. No day is the same as the next. Whilst there are some confronting aspects the satisfaction you can get from the job is second to none. For those just starting, work hard and give it your all. Be true to yourself and never forget why you joined.”?

Want to have your own Academy experience? Learn more about what the Victoria Police training entails.