Wodi Wodi man Jake Bell is looking forward to putting on an AFP uniform soon to provide a positive, welcoming image of the police, unlike the experience he had when he was younger.
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The Kanahooka man said when he grew up the "[police] were never good people to me or to people around me".
"I want to try and break that stigma that all officers from every branch are bad people," Mr Bell said.
The 24-year-old butcher is not planning to join local police but rather travel the country with the Australian Federal Police.
He is one step closer to his dream after graduating from the IPROWD Indigenous Policing Recruitment Our Way Delivery program.
The program supports Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples to join the NSW Police Force, or other justice and emergency services.
"We had to make a presentation about ourselves, our people, our land, where we come from ... we all get to learn about each other and how everyone's connected," Mr Bell said. "If I could do this all again. I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat."
I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat.
- Jake Bell
He graduated with 17 other students across the state at Queanbeyan last week.
"We've all grown real close. Real good bonds and real good friendships, it will definitely last a lifetime," he said.
The group attended Queanbeyan TAFE NSW one week of each month for about six months.
The program is an intensive fitness and academic program that can accelerate the students' pathway into the NSW Police Academy in Goulburn or other emergency fields.
Mr Bell will now apply to train with Australian Federal Police (AFP) to become a protection service officer.
The officers can travel to remote Australian locations to protect people and places such as politicians and diplomats, or places such as the Australian Parliament House or defence establishments.
"I felt in my gut more welcomed, more at home, more accepted and appreciated with AFP. I never felt that with NSW [Police]," he said.
Mr Bell was acknowledged for his leadership at the graduation ceremony with the AFP Recognition Award.
Shaylee Davies from Albion Park also graduated from the program and has her eyes set on a role in the AFP.
"I want to help everyone get on their feet and help our community to stay strong," Ms Davies said.
"I want to go into child protection, or maybe even like protective services."
The Wiradjuri woman and avid fan of police TV shows graduated from Oak Flats High School in 2022.
The 19-year-old said the IPROWD program helped her gain her confidence.
"If you're young you don't want to go straight into the [police] academies," she said.
"I've gotten so much confidence being in this course that I feel much more able to join the academy now."
Marlene Even
Journalist at the Illawarra Mercury. Previously a radio and podcast host at 2SER Radio.
Journalist at the Illawarra Mercury. Previously a radio and podcast host at 2SER Radio.
