My life as a police officer by Constable Clare McVeity
I grew up…
On a farm on the North-West Coast of Tasmania, attending the local schools, completing University then heading abroad for 5 years. I was adopted from South Korea at 6 months old and my family consists of my parents, two older brothers, a younger brother and younger sister, so I definitely suffer the middle child syndrome!
My first job…
Was working at my father’s law firm as an office junior, before working in the hospitality industry to get me through college and university.
I left school…
I never really left school! I completed year 12 at Don College and then went on to obtain both my Undergraduate Degree (UTAS) with a Bachelor of Human Movement (PE Teaching) and a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education (CDU) and am now completing Bachelor of Social Science, Police Studies (UTAS) as part of joining Tasmania Police. Before joining, I was either teaching and/or lecturing, so up until I started at the Academy, I was in the Education sector.
I knew I wanted to be a police officer…
Being a police officer has always been an interest of mine, but I didn’t complete an application until I had gained some life experience. I chose to both live and travel abroad before I returned to Tasmania and joined Tasmania Police. I almost joined the NT Police, but wanted to move back to Tasmania to be closer to family.
The night before I started my Academy training…
Was very stressful as I didn’t join my Course until Week 4 and had only just finished my teaching job the day before driving down to Hobart to start at the Academy. I didn’t have long to prepare myself before I hit the ground running to catch up with my Course as quickly as possible.
My first day as a police officer…
Was in Burnie Uniform – starting with a block of 7 nights. It was daunting but also exciting and ultimately, I was just happy to put into practice everything that we had learnt down at the Academy. No better way to become accustomed to shift work than to be thrown straight into night shift.
My service history so far…
Is very short, as I only graduated in September 2019. However, being on the Burnie watch, I have been able to work alongside the WDIS & CIB to execute search warrants, as well as the Dog Handler to gain a lot of exposure to the opportunities available.
My typical day…
Consists of participating in read-out with my shift before completing files, responding to jobs when tasked through Radio Dispatch Services and my Sergeant, and conducting investigations to complete files or reports. Occasionally, the Dog Handlers and Drug Squad invite us to join them on jobs or searches which mixes up the usual duties.
Where I see myself going…
I am content in Burnie Uniform and gaining more experience as a Constable. When I am a little more settled, I would like to obtain a secondary role in Search and Rescue (SAR) and hopefully gain some experience in the other departments through secondments (CIB, WDIS, RPOS) before I focus on a specific career path.
A memorable moment in Tasmania Police…
After only being on the watch just few months, my Sergeant gave me the opportunity to execute a search warrant on a property. I prepared the search, had the warrant signed off by the JP, completed the briefing and we all headed out. On the way, the Coordinating Officer of the search asked me if I had the copies of the search warrant, a real face palm moment occurred as I realised I had left them in the muster room. The convoy of police cars had to pull over in a parking lot whilst we waited for a Sergeant to run them out to us! In hindsight, it was a good opportunity to slow down and breathe, and safe to say, I won’t be forgetting a search warrant again.
My colleagues in the Tasmania Police Service…
Are the family outside of my family! Whilst I have not been in the police service long, I have made some lifelong relationships across the entire state. These are the people that have your back when you’re out on the street attending jobs, but also there for you when you need to debrief when dealing with challenging individuals and environments. There is a wealth of knowledge amongst my colleagues and the support and advice they give is both rewarding and encouraging. I have learnt not to be afraid to ask questions, and really embrace the stories and knowledge the senior officers bring to the job!
Most difficult part of the job…
You come across so many challenging situations and I have been exposed to things I hadn’t even considered in my previous professions. Being a police officer truly broadens your horizons on society and the hardships individuals face daily.
Best part of the job…
Working alongside amazing people and knowing you have their support and witnessing and experiencing firsthand the positive impact you can have on people.
Outside of being a police officer, I…
Keep active through a range of activities such as running, riding, trail running or going to the gym or hanging out with friends and family. I enjoy travelling both interstate and abroad.
Being a police officer has helped me…
Set goals that require me to challenge myself to step outside of my comfort zone. I thrive on structure so becoming a police officer has helped me to embrace the unpredictability the job brings. It has also helped me to become more aware of the hardships surrounding individuals we regularly interact with and broaden my understanding of the circumstances as to why we are called to incidents.
Biggest success…
So far has been graduating from the Academy and just embracing the opportunity of being on the watch.
An obstacle I’ve had to overcome…
Joining Tasmania Police in my 30s has been a massive obstacle. Living, travelling and teaching and lecturing interstate (NT, NSW, VIC & TAS) and abroad (South-East Asia, North America and Central America) for the past 15 years has equipped me well for the challenges of being a police officer. However, changing careers after consolidating myself as a teacher and lecturer has come with its challenges. Although I also believe having a career in a different profession and having experienced a variety of cultures has been invaluable as a police officer.
The best advice I can give to a potential female recruit thinking they want to join…
If you are thinking about joining, put an in expression of interest, chat to police officers if you can and start the application process. It is a rewarding experience and career.