The Indigenous community makes up only a small number of the country's police force, but it’s hoped a new traineeship program could soon change that.
With a backdrop of wailing sirens, some young Indigenous students are getting an inside look into the workings of Victoria Police.
Once a week, they’re spending time in police stations from Morwell to Warrnambool, as part of a Certificate 3 in Business Administration.
After 40 years in the force, Victorian assistant police commissioner Robert Hill told SBS world News he’s keen to see some new faces in uniform.
"When I joined Victoria Police, it was predominantly male members, young, white Caucasians. Now, we have members from all parts of the world as members of Victoria Police, and that's so important.”
“We need to think about how we can be more effective in recruiting people from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait backgrounds. We need to be engaged in that community."
Across Victoria, there are about 13,500 police staff, but just 71 identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander - less than one per cent. That’s among the lowest representation in the country.
Victoria Police hopes to add diversity through more Indigenous staff as part of a recruitment drive.
Indigenous students get an insight into the Victoria Police in the hope of boosting their numbers in the force. Source: SBS World News
State employment minister Wade Noonan said he hoped the traineeship program would also help fight Indigenous unemployment, hovering around 14 per cent in Victoria and 18 per cent, Australia-wide.
"Statistically, we actually understand that our Aboriginal youth and Aboriginal people in Victoria probably face more barriers, basically, to getting a job, and then keeping a job. So it's really important to wrap around the support, particularly for young people."
Some of the young people, like 15-year-old Elvis Carter, have deeply personal motivations for embarking on police careers.
"One of my friends, he's just on the run. He's been on the run for like 12 months now. So I don't even know where he is. It's annoying, because I remember when they [his friends] weren't doing this stuff, and now you look at them, and you look at them before, and see the change."
He told SBS World News he wanted to actively enforce change and improve relationships between the community and police.
"I'm an uncle, so I'm just trying to keep my nieces and nephews out of trouble, teach them the way- how you can be good and the police are not that bad. If you need help, you can ask them."
Another trainee, Jackson Nolan, is a keen footballer.
But he said if that fails, a career at the academy is on the agenda.
He credits the course with boosting his confidence.
"I can already see it's helped, like, communication skills you use and talking to other people, being able to hold a conversation and being able to lead a group."
It is a pathway to employment but, as they see it, also a quest to help others.
Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Robert Hill encouraging Indigenous youth to join the force. Source: SBS World News
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