In a bid to demystify the work of police and the role they play in Australia, a group of young African refugees are undertaking a 6 week program, organised by Newcastle City Police and the local PCYC.
Nine of them were given a rare glimpse behind the scenes at the headquarters of the Water Police and the Rescue Squad.
They were also taken on a tour aboard a police vessel.
According to Gerard Lawson of Newcastle Police, “The experience of policing in their country of origin is very different to the policing experience in NSW. In their country of origin, police are seen as corrupt and people to be feared, that’s not the message we hope to send home today.”
Tomorrow they’ll be visiting the Goulburn Police Academy, and already many are hoping to become police officers.
A close relative was a long serving Police Officer in an African country. He lost his life whilst on duty. How dare Inspector Lawson suggest that he was corrupt. I suggest that he had far greater principles and values than those Mr Lawson could ever hope to muster! I demand an immediate apology from Mr Lawson for making such ignorant, racist and ill-educated comment.