North Richmond first-year university entrant Paul Feneley is aiming to join the police through UWS.
Last year he completed his HSC at Colo High School and was recently accepted for the university’s bachelor of policing (leadership program) at its Penrith campus.
‘‘I’ve been interested in policing for some time,’’ he said.
‘‘A police workplace has a lot of diversity and you do something different every day.’’
He said he chose the UWS course because it was the one closest to his home.
He already has an uncle in the police force and two brothers have also studied policing.
‘‘But it’s only this generation going into policing,’’ he said.
‘‘I come from a family of primary school teachers: my parents, my aunt and another uncle are all primary school teachers.
‘‘But I guess teaching just isn’t for us.
‘‘I want a career with variety and opportunities to go places.’’
He said in the same vein, he also looked at applying for officer training in the Defence Force.
‘‘I wasn’t too sure I’d like doing that, so I’m glad I was accepted into policing.
‘‘You can’t just leave the Defence Forces either; I think you have to sign up to the officers’ course for nine years.’’
The Bachelor of Policing teaches elements of psychology, law, criminology and social sciences to complement modern police training.
Mr Feneley said the leadership program was the same, except for units about practical and ethical aspects of leadership. ‘‘It doesn’t mean I’m made a leader when I graduate, but I’m interested in what leadership means.’’
Graduates apply for extra study at Goulburn’s NSW Police Academy before joining the NSW Police Force, or elsewhere if they are interested in other police
services. Mr Feneley said his first preference would be to join the Australian Federal Police.
‘‘I think policing on a national level would be something more interesting — it offers more diversity.’’
