Role of the PoliceRole of the PoliceJulia and Emily

Year 10 Legal studies

Search and Rescue

The search and Rescue branch of the police force came into use in 1957 after several unproductive searches

for missing persons

Special skills and training required

- High fitness level- Navigation skills- Extensive first aid training- Mentally stable and strong- Good investigator - High level initiative - Good communication skills - Training for underwater diving, mountaineering- Experienced - Successfully completed a 4 day or more bushwalk

Duties performed Officers need to be prepared to perform search and rescue operations in many

different environments, such as; land, snow, cliffs, mountaineering, airborne and underwater. This is because they must be ready to rescue people in any kind of environment. Part of their duty is also to search ship hulls for drugs and retrieve cars, bodies and other objects from lakes or rivers.

They also occasionally assist other emergency response departments so they can support them in searching and transporting members to different locations.

They also work is areas that involve public demonstrations and protests. Their job is to remove objects that may be harmful to the public or the local police. They also remove trees when dealing with forest demonstrators.

The Search and Rescue department also help other local police to give them advice and training on how to read maps and also bush craft.

The members of the search and Rescue team also undertake daily maintenances tasks that involve checking that all equipment is up to date and working.

Examples of current activities carried out by the squad:

- Helping with Christchurch earthquake - Assisting helping in the clean up of the Japanese earthquake and Tsunami - Worked to rebuild building and recover victims of the Queensland floods- Assisted in helping with the Western Australia bushfires

Reasons for the existence of the squad

The Search and rescue squad came about after a number of unsuccessful searches for missing people. Since, the branch has extended from the original bush searches to a number of different outdoor environments. The main reason for the existence of the squad is to have a qualified and experienced team that a community can rely on to help find missing persons, perform dangerous rescues and perform underwater retrievals.

Becoming a Police OfficerBefore undertaking the exam, applicants must confirm their eligibility to join to be police force. To be eligible

you must have firstly completed VCE if you are under 21. You must also have a current Victorian drivers licence and you are required to be an Australian citizen or permanent resident. Other requirements relating to medical areas are a minimum of 6/9 for both eyes and have a BMI of 27.5 at the maximum. The police also check for prior offences, however this is not a deciding factor.

The initial entrance exam, consists of five different tests. These are spelling and comprehension, mathematics, reasoning ability, English skills and writing. All tests must be completed and passed to join the academy. If an applicant fails the exam, a three month waiting period stands until they can re sit the exam. If you fail the second time, a 12 month waiting period is required. If you pass the exam, an application lodgement is required. Level one first aid qualification is a necessity. After this, a background check is completed. This check includes searching for prior offences or criminal history. The next step is a medical assessment. Here, you are required to attend a General Practitioner for a medical examination, attend an audiologist for a hearing assessment, and attend an optometrist for a vision assessment. A urine sample is also required. A Hepatitis B immunisation is also necessary.

The next testing stage is the fitness and psychological component. Applicants are permitted two attempts at the fitness testing. After this, you must go before a selection panel. Here you are tested on demonstrating a number of personality screenings.

The final assessment is an overall suitability assessment. You are advised of this result in two weeks. Lastly you will receive are a score and your score determines your place in the pool of candidates.

Once inducted, officers are required to maintain a level of fitness.

Life at the Academy

At the academy, training is from 7.30am-4.10pm from Monday to Friday. This goes on for 23 weeks. They endure physical training, lectures and operational skills.

Over the next two years, training is continued. When you complete these two years, you receive your diploma of Public Safety with Victoria police.

article onePolice find man's body in YarraSummary: At the end of January, 2011, Hayden Desira’s body was discovered. He went missing in the Yarra

River, in Melbourne’s north-east on the 30thof January 2011. He was in the water with around 15 other people when he began struggling and went under the water. His friends tried to assist but he had gone under the surface and they could not find him. He disappeared near Griffith Park, Victoria. The search and rescue squad performed a full search of the area but unfortunately he was dead when found. A full report is being investigated by the Coroners Court.

Link: http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-national/young-mans-body-found-in-yarra-river-20110131-1aasq.html

article two Police to rescue injured skier at Mount BogongSummary: A 23 year old New South Wales TAFE student injured her knee during a skiing trip, on Mount

Bogong. The woman couldn't stand up and had to be rescued by search and rescue teams. However, due to poor weather, she couldn’t be rescued by a helicopter. She was one of four students on the skiing trip, and they waited over night while the search and rescue teams tried to reach them. The police spent the night at Granite Flat Spur and then skied to the hut where she was waiting. She was then brought back to a four-wheel drive by a sled.

Link: http://www.theage.com.au/national/police-to-rescue-injured-skier-at-mount-bogong-20090814-ek9d.html

article threeSearch and rescue team headed to Mt Bogong after hikers become lost on the mountainSummary: A search and rescue team were sent to Mt. Bogong after a 15 year old girl and 31 year old man

become lost on a hiking trip in the afternoon. They called the police at 5.15pm to inform that they were lost and then called a second time at 5.40pm to say they thought they were near Courts Ridge and Granny Spur. Since that time they stayed in constant contact with the rescue team. The pair had been separated from the girls father, a 56 year old man, around 12.30pm on the same day. The pair had food and a tent and also didn’t experience any bad weather. The following morning and search and rescue team left Melbourne at 5am and then found the lost pair at 1pm before escorting them off the mountain. The 56 year old man was later found on the same day at his car.

Link: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/search-and-rescue-team-headed-to-mt-bogong-after-hikers-become-lost-on-the-mountain/story-e6frf7jo-1225793743691