Meet Acting Senior Sergeant Julian Tang. A police officer at Victoria Police for nine years, Julian started his policing career at Fawkner and Brunswick Police stations doing general duties.
Shortly after, Julian’s knack with data was noticed and he was given an opportunity in the Fawkner Divisional Intelligence Unit.
Since then, Julian has worked in several different areas, including the Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigations Team and Tasking and Operations, and is currently a frontline sergeant in Moonee Ponds.
Video transcript
Working at Victoria Police has been a very fulfilling career. I was in the mining industry and I guess it came to a point where I questioned whether or not I could contribute a little bit more.
I had some coworkers that suggested 'Why not try Victoria Police?'.
You go to the academy, you learn those basic defensive skills, the legal framework, then you go out into the real world, but you're not out there by yourself. We offer years and years of experience that will support your journey in Victoria Police.
Every workplace that I've been, they've been very supportive and encouraging of my development. There are a lot of opportunities in Victoria Police where we can utilise whatever skillsets that you can bring, whether you're a teacher, an electrician, a cook.
Any skillsets that you have can pave a way for a career in Victoria Police that you did not know existed. I think there's just a multitude of roles that you can explore.
In terms of exploring the intelligence world, that really wasn't something that I entertained until it was brought up by my station boss at the time.
While I was in Brunswick doing general duties, I was satisfied working the divisional van. I quite liked delving into data and trying to get the facts behind the number.
The officer in charge came up to me and says, "Hey Julian, you like working with data. How about you explore the intelligence field?"
What's really rewarding is to have that community interaction.
Like even in my formative years, I recall dealing with a troubled youth, and he’d go missing. We'd retrieve him and take him back home.
But fast forward a couple of years, I'm at Brunswick. He goes up to me and he's like, "Hey, do you remember me?"
"Yeah, I remember you. And how you going?"
He's like, "I'm doing really well now, I'm studying."
To be able to reflect on where this particular person was to where they are now, I feel like I've made a positive influence and set him on the right direction.
We come here every day wanting to contribute to the community and people that you work with understand that and they're going to help you.
As long as your heart is in the right place, you can go anywhere in Victoria Police.
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