"Police officers protect life and property, preserve the peace, prevent offences, detect and apprehend offenders and help those in need of assistance."

Police officers may perform the following tasks:

• promote crime prevention and undertake community policing activities to improve the quality of community life
• patrol assigned areas on foot or in vehicles to check security of property and watch for unusual activity
• apprehend law breakers
• investigate criminal offences and question suspicious people about their activities
• gather information about crimes and accidents by talking to victims and witnesses and taking notes and statements in writing
• direct and re-route traffic at congested areas
• respond to citizens' complaints and attend scenes of disturbances and reported illegal activities
• guard prisoners
• detain and search suspects for weapons and stolen goods or drugs
• work with ambulance, firefighting and defence force personnel to control emergency situations such as floods, bomb threats and chemical spills
• assist injured and distressed people and search for missing or lost people
• carry out routine clerical work
• issue infringement notices for traffic offences
• attend special events such as football matches and control crowds where necessary
• give evidence in court from previously prepared briefs and notes
• undertake random breath tests of drivers to detect those driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• secure crime and accident scenes, and locate or obtain evidence for analysis
• give sympathetic, constructive and reassuring assistance and feedback to victims of crime.
• All newly appointed police officers are initially required to perform station and patrol duties.
  

After gaining experience, police officers may seek entry to specialist areas such as criminal investigation, radio communications, prosecutions, juvenile aid, accident investigation, water police, dog handling, traffic control, the mounted unit, education and training, and human resource management. (Juvenile aid, dog handling and the mounted unit are not applicable to Tasmania Police.)

Police officers are required to work shifts including weekends and public holidays and serve in any part of the state or territory.

Personal Requirements:

• enjoy helping people
• able to stay calm in difficult situations
• physically fit
• tolerant of people from all backgrounds and cultures
• honest and reliable
• willing to accept responsibility
• socially mature with a degree of mental toughness
• able to analyse and solve problems
• have an acceptable traffic/criminal record
• an Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia
• able to satisfy medical requirements.

Graduates develop generic skills in:

• Written expression
• Capacity to analyse and interpret in a dispassionate and objective manner
• Critical thinking
• Knowledge application
• Problem solving
• Computer literacy
• Conceptual ability
• Creative self expression
• Decision making
• Data aquisition and analysis
• Communication
• Research techniques
• Marshalling facts in support of arguments
• Personal growth/critical self awareness
• Understanding of cultural differences

Relevant Degrees. These links will take you directly to the UTas handbook Bachelor of Social Science (Police Studies)

For further information... Download the Humanities and Social Sciences brochure In Adobe Acrobat format Faculty of Arts Career Selector Contact the School of Government for more information