Guest Speaker Report
by
Rotarian Peter Douglas
Wednesday 9 July 2008
The guest speaker was Matthew Campbell whose subject was “Universities Meet the Police’
Matthew was introduced by Niall King.
Matthew is an Educator in Doctoral Studies at the Catholic University in Strathfield.
Matthew works alongside Police and is involved in changing the nature of policing in the NSW Police Force. His work is part of a university program which is endeavoring to make the force a more professional organisation. The days of the big burly copper enforcing the law with his size 12’s has gone – in some ways more the pity!
In the 2007 force law enforcement occupies only 10% of the police function. A substantial amount of time is spent working cooperatively with the community to reduce violence, crime and fear
One of the recommendations of the 1997 Wood Royal Commission was the instituting of a Code of Conduct for the force. This has resulted in members having clear guidelines of the conduct required to support the values of the NSW Police. These changes do not alter the expectations expected but allows them to be more clearly expressed.
Matthew spoke of the involvement of Charles Sturt University with the Police Academy at Goulburn which has resulted in changes in training procedures in as much as the training is now undertaken by academics. Recruits undertake 6 months training followed by 12 months as a Probationary Constable in the field. When they are confirmed as a Constable they have an Associate Degree.
Matthew commented about the fact that what is learnt at the Academy and what is learnt in the field in the first 12 months widely varies. There is nothing like on the job training!
Matthew was thanked by PP Joe Saad