LEADING Senior Constable Janine Walker always wanted to be in the police force when she was a little girl in the Diamond Valley.<\/p>\n
Mrs Walker loved to ride her ponies around her family\u2019s farm, almost patrolling, checking fences to ensure all her animals were safely within the boundary of the property.<\/p>\n
But it wasn\u2019t until a careers expo in Year 11 that she discovered Victoria Police\u2019s then height restrictions would have to steer her in another direction.<\/p>\n
By the age of 34, Mrs Walker had experienced a successful career in the printing and graphic art industry, but the dream to be a police officer was rearing its head again.<\/p>\n
Height, age and vision restrictions had been lifted by the force in the late 90s, and she was ready for a new challenge.<\/p>\n
Completing two years of training, Mrs Walker then became Warracknabeal\u2019s first female police officer and her community minded attitude grew.<\/p>\n
Having experienced a reasonably sheltered life, it was that first role that exposed her to the realities of community machinations \u2013 including underprivileged children falling under the radar – and she began to understand how many people need help.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo one realises what they\u2019re taking on board when they become a police officer,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cPolice are there to help and be approachable. If people need help, who do they ring? The police.\u201d<\/p>\n
But she said gaining a real sense of personal trust within communities is another story.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not all about prosecuting,\u201d she said. To her, it\u2019s about taking an interest and offering to chat to people to let them know they are not alone.<\/p>\n
\u201cA police woman stopping to chat is foreign to a lot of people. If you\u2019re consistent, people catch on.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s about really listening to find what\u2019s at the core of the issue.\u201d<\/p>\n
Catch on they did, and one of the results is Mrs Walker recent recognition by Ballarat\u2019s Zonta Club for her work improving the town\u2019s community safety over the last 12 years.<\/p>\n
She\u2019s made the honour roll of Ballarat\u2019s Great Women for 2019, having been nominated by her peers – Divisional Superintendent Jenny Wilson and Inspector Trevor Cornwill – as a congratulations and thank you.<\/p>\n
Joining the police force and meeting citizens day-to-day has helped Mrs Walker understand the spectrum of mental health, elderly abuse, neglect and isolation.<\/p>\n
She is being praised for her approach, going the extra mile within her work to impact people experiencing these things, rather than having a clock on, clock off mentality.<\/p>\n
Having moved to Ballarat in 2005, community safety became her focus. Mrs Walker\u2019s caring, proactive presence has been felt and appreciated ever since.<\/p>\n
She\u2019s been a passionate voice in the city, with an aim to engage an extensive range of local people \u2013 specifically senior citizens \u2013 and get them building supportive networks.<\/p>\n
Mrs Walker\u2019s been so successful generating a rapport and profile within the Ballarat community that, for many older people with no one else to turn to, she has become the person to call.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome of them are so embarrassed, they don\u2019t know what to do,\u201d she said. \u201cIntegrity in this town is everything.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey feel it\u2019s safe enough to contact me and at least I can be an ear for them and provide solutions.The elderly aren\u2019t dumb. If you lead by example and walk the walk, word gets around.\u201d<\/p>\n
Professionally, her campaigning has included a revamp of Neighbourhood Watch and a Community Support Register, which both aim to generate networking.<\/p>\n
In her opinion, there should always be so much more to it than a newsletter.<\/p>\n
She advises people to get out in their areas during \u2018Neighbour Day\u2019 and beyond, to meet their neighbours, know their situation and have a civil respect for one another.<\/p>\n
This means, ideally, no one should be left alone or forgotten in the event something out of the ordinary occurs. Crime rates are also seen to drop in close-knit areas.<\/p>\n
She has also organised workshops with police to better connect with the dementia community.<\/p>\n
This educated officers and strengthened their understanding of how to empathise with people living with dementia and identify the characteristics. It also encouraged them to start conversations.<\/p>\n
Drawing on her previous career in advertising, the Wish I Locked It and Warrant Wednesday campaigns also generated a big response across multiple media platforms.<\/p>\n
As people were reminded to lock their doors via Wish I Locked It, a drop in thefts was recorded.<\/p>\n
Warrant Wednesday – reminding people via social media of their outstanding fines, left some people red faced, but it was proactive nonetheless.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s about thinking of creative ways to capture the community,\u201d Mrs Walker said.<\/p>\n
Having been nominated for the Zonta award, she certainly has captured the attention of locals, but she said it\u2019s something she was \u201cnot expecting.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo be put on that level with all the other women is an honour. It\u2019s nice to be thought of and appreciated.\u201d<\/p>\n
Knowing she\u2019ll need people to reach out to as she grows older, she \u201ctreats people how [she] wants to be treated.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn a world where you can be anything at all, why not just be kind?\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LEADING Senior Constable Janine Walker always wanted to be in the police force when she was a little girl in the Diamond Valley. Mrs Walker loved to ride her ponies around her family\u2019s farm, almost patrolling, checking fences to ensure all her animals were safely within the boundary of the property. But it wasn\u2019t until […]<\/p>\n