Leading Senior Constable Shane Roberts was put to the test last week during a Lockington school visit.
“They asked some ripper questions that I really had to think about,” he said.
“One of them asked if I’d been in any police chases and I said actually I have. I chased a goat down the main street of Kyabram one night. They all just lost it. They thought that was pretty funny.”
As part of the Proactive Policing Unit, Leading Senior Constable Roberts visited grade 5 and 6 students at Lockington Consolidated School.
He spoke to the students about how to stay safe in the community, what life is like as a police officer, how laws are made, and some differences between state and federal police.
“I was there for about an hour and a half, and I think every student got to ask me a question. Then we actually went out and had a look at the police car,” he said.
“I showed them some of the stuff that police carry around with them, which they thought was pretty cool.”
Leading Senior Constable Roberts said there are huge benefits to participating in these school visits.
"They might’ve had no experiences with police, or someone might have given them a perception of police that’s wrong,” he said.
“But then, when they see us in the school environment, it’s a good experience and a positive experience. I think it can completely change their mindset or their impression of what they think the police are.”