Last week was unique at the Echuca Police Station, where a father and son teamed up on the job.
Constable Ben Walker, whose father Shane has been an Echuca police officer for over 30 years, recently switched from the NSW force to the Victorian force.
Before moving to Melbourne to work, Constable Walker spent the past week policing in Echuca with his Dad.
“This week has been really good. It’s been a good experience to come back home where I’m originally from and have a crack at the policing here in Echuca,” he said.
“Dad’s been a police officer all of my life, and it was definitely something that I knew I wanted to do as well.
“It’s a challenging job, but it’s a good and rewarding one as well.”
Seargent Shane Walker said having his son around for the week was an honour.
“It’s been very exciting for me for this week. Honestly, I’ve been pretty proud to work alongside him,” he said.
“It’s been good fun from my point of view. It’s a great experience to have him here on board, even just for the week. So it’s been a great opportunity.”
As a Dad, Sgt Walker always considered this could be the chosen career path for his son.
“He’s always shown a bit of passion to be a copper, but as much as I’ve tried to talk him out at some stages, he’s always shown a desire,” he said.
“He’s already served two years in NSW prior to changing over to Victoria. So it’s a pleasure to have him on board.”
Working in Melbourne is an exciting prospect for the young police officer.
“Being a police officer was always something I wanted to do, so to achieve that has been really cool,” Constable Walker said.
“I’m looking forward to Melbourne. It’ll be a good learning experience for me down there. After two years policing in a country town in NSW, the city might be a bit different but it’s a difference I’m looking forward to.”