Behind the badge: Senior Constable Nicholas Pytellek

Why did you join Victoria Police?

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve had a deep passion for driving and riding. I also grew up playing games like Need for Speed, where I generally played as the police and wanted to catch the ‘bad guys’. So throughout high school, I knew I wanted to join Victoria Police and become a Highway Patrol operative. Everything has its place, including fast cars and motorcycles, as long as they’re used responsibly in the right environment. Ultimately, I joined Victoria Police to do my bit, and help people get home safely.

Tell us about your career with the force so far.

I started my career with Victoria Police back in 2017 as a Protective Services Officer (PSO). After finishing at the Academy, I worked my time in the city before going to Bayside, and then Springvale. I met some fantastic PSOs, police and made some great memories before I returned to the Academy for the Constable Qualifying Program in 2020 to become a police member. My Designated Training Station was back at Springvale, and then in January 2021, I started at Melbourne East police station. Two years later, in January 2023, I arrived at the Solo Unit.

What led you to join the Solo Unit?

My passion for driving and riding has always led me towards road policing. While working general duties, I was always looking for opportunities to enforce the road rules, with my goal being to enter a Highway Patrol position. But then a sergeant I worked with introduced me to the idea of working in the Solo Unit, which I was unfamiliar with at the time. So, I contacted the Solo Unit and took a tour of the office. Once I learnt more about their role, I knew it was the ideal role for me. Because the Solo Unit has a specific focus on proactive enforcement, and, best of all, you get to ride motorcycles every day.

What do your shifts as a Solo member involve?

At the Solo Unit, our ‘business as usual’ shifts involve traffic enforcement across metropolitan Melbourne. We work in a different area every day, and are regularly sent away for work trips to rural Victoria to perform enforcement duties on our BMW R 1250 RT-P solos, or all-terrain enforcement on our Husqvarna FE 501s or adventure bikes. We occasionally perform metropolitan shifts on our all-terrain motorcycles, too.

Outside of enforcement, we escort internationally protected persons, where we close roads for a motorcade and facilitate unimpeded travel between locations. We also perform rolling road closures for major cycling events and use our all-terrain motorcycles to help Search and Rescue find missing persons in environments that are difficult to access, or require rapid, large area coverage.

When did you first hop on a bike?

I first rode a motorcycle – a road bike – when I was 19, shortly after I got my learner permit. I’ve had a minimum of one motorcycle at any time since.

What should motorcyclist enthusiasts, like yourself, be most of aware of when riding on the roads?

We always need to be aware of how and what a driver may see, or not see. Put yourself in a position on the road that allows you to be seen by the driver who is coming out of that side street ahead of you, whether there is a car there yet, or not. You need to expect a vehicle to be there, and expect them to pull out into your lane. Expect the car alongside you to want to be in the spot you are now, and expect them to fail to look if you are there before they merge. If the worst happens, and all else fails, make sure you are wearing the right gear to give you the best possible outcome. It may not be your fault, but you’ll bear the burden.

As we head into warmer weather, will the road risks for motorcyclists change?

The risks on the road are always present for both drivers and riders, no matter the time of year. Drivers have less awareness of motorcycles during the winter, due to motorcycles being rarer on the road. But when the weather is warmer, there are risks associated with more riders and the general increase in traffic, which is something to be aware of as we head into spring.

This week is Motorcyclist Awareness Month. As a member of the Solo Unit, what is your message to Victorians?

Whether you’re in a car or on a bike, drive within the limitations of yourself, your vehicle, the roads and other road users. Remember the road is for the public, and everyone uses it – from children crossing the road on their bicycles, to grandparents on their way to a family event. Use the road in a way where people can anticipate what you’ll do, and be courteous when you can, just like others have been to you before.

For more road safety advice, visit Road Safety.