Queensland Police recruits can sign up before they can vote or buy a beer
Richard Dinnen - Queensland Editor |
The Queensland Police Service has lowered its recruitment age to 17 as part of a bid to boost the number of new officers hitting the beat over the next three years.
Teenagers will now be able to apply to join the police at age 17, during year 12 of high school, a year earlier than the previous arrangement.
Recruits would then be able to join the police academy at 18, the age at which the law considers them to be adults.
Police Commissioner, Katarina Carroll, announced the change at a graduation ceremony for 129 new recruits at the Oxley Academy in Brisbane.
“We want them here at 18, they will be out on the road at 18-and-a-half. I want to encourage every 17-year-old in Queensland to apply for the Queensland Police Service.
“It’s a great job, it can be challenging at times, but it is also extremely rewarding.
“The Police Service is adjusting the recruit applicant age limit to enable more young Queenslanders to kick-start an exciting career in policing.
“As a Service, we continue to look for people with diverse backgrounds and from walks of life that reflect the community we serve, and I am excited to see what these young people can bring to our organisation in the future.”
The new recruitment age rule is intended to boost police numbers, with the goal understood to be 1,000 new recruits a year for the next three years.
