Long-serving Victoria Police members recognised in Bendigo

More than sixty of the state’s police members were recognised for their lengthy contribution to the community on Wednesday in a ceremony at The Capital in Bendigo. 

Assistant Commissioner Tess Walsh thanked award recipients, all of whom had ten or more years’ experience in policing.

“I love medal day because we stop and we think about what we do,” she said. 

“The role of police is becoming more and more complex every day as we watch things happening overseas and see things play out in our very own state.”

Sergeant Mark Holloway was one of four officers recognised for 40 years' service on Wednesday.  

Unlike new recruits who undergo rigorous training before their first day on the beat, Sergeant Holloway was in uniform and policing the streets just three weeks after starting as a police cadet. 

He was 17 years old. 

Sergeant Holloway said newcomers to the police force tended to be "better grounded, better rounded" people because of their training and previous life experiences. 

It is just one of several shifts Sergeant Holloway had observed over his career, during which technology has also transformed the role of a police officer. 

He remembered when electric typewriters and then computers were first put into police stations. 

"Until then, everything had been done on paper," Sergeant Holloway said. 

"It's made things more efficient. Communication is much better." 

While he said his organisation had become better equipped to care for its members' wellbeing, attitudes towards police in the community had deteriorated.  

"In the late '70s, early '80s, if you told people 'go' or 'don't' or 'stop', they did exactly what you told them," Sergeant Holloway said. 

"It's tougher, it's harder to be a policeman today," he said.

But that did not stop Sergeant Holloway and other award recipients from encouraging newcomers to join the force. 

Richard Zakrewski, a sergeant who retired last year, was awarded a regional commendation for his 44 years’ contribution to Victoria Police and said he felt privileged to have served his local community.

“We help people and get paid for it,” he said in his acceptance speech. 

“It’s been a fantastic career, brought money in for the family, and I’ve been lucky to never be injured in any way.”

Assistant Commissioner Walsh told the Bendigo Advertiser Mr Zakrewski was an exemplary leader to younger members of Victoria Police and the community in which he worked. 

“There's the internal part, the example he sets for our members, but externally, think about how much good he has done for his community in being a consistent leader over that time,” she said. 

Asked whether new police members would go on to accumulate as much experience as those recognised on Wednesday, the assistant commissioner said Victoria Police’s retention rates were “traditionally very, very high”.

This was particularly the case in rural and regional areas where members form close relationships with their communities, she said.