NSW: 229 new police recruits to be sworn in tonight

AAP General News (Australia)
12-20-2007
NSW: 229 new police recruits to be sworn in tonight

SYDNEY, Dec 20 AAP - NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione will tonight swear in
his first batch of new recruits, at the Goulburn training college in central NSW.

The ranks of the NSW police force will swell to more than 15,100 officers with 229
probationary constables to be sworn in at the Goulburn parade ground at 6pm (AEDT).

The graduates from the Associate Diploma of Policing Practice are aged between 19 and
55, and include 155 men and 74 women.

This will be Mr Scipione's first swearing in ceremony as top dog, with the 27-year
police veteran only taking up the job in August.

"I joined the ranks of the NSW Police Force in 1980 as a general duties officer at
Hurstville and I have been constantly challenged and seen so many changes to operational
policing in the past 27 years," Mr Scipione said.

"I sincerely hop they find the experience of serving the people of NSW as exciting
and personally satisfying as I do."

The 229 recruits include dual Commonwealth Games swimming gold medallist, Lori Munz.

Ms Munz, 28, won two gold medals at the 1998 Kuala Lumpur games, and two World Cup
gold medals in 2001.

A car accident in 2000 shattered her hopes of competing in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

She gave up swimming just over two years ago.

After today's graduation, Ms Munz will take up a position at Rose Bay Local Area Command
in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

"It's a real thrill to be able to serve the community in thi way and I am really looking
forward to the challenge ahead of me," Ms Munz said.

"This is an exciting new chapter in my life, something very different, and I can't
wait to walk off the parade ground today and get on with the job."

The graduating class will also include three officers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander background, and recruits from a number of non-English speaking backgrounds, police
said.

The new recruits will be stationed at Local Area Commands across the state.

AAP ab/cmc

KEYWORD: RECRUITS

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