Vic Police Leaders Mentoring Graduation.
 
Chairman:     President Doug Robertson
Reporter;      David Jones            Photographer:  Anne King
Attendance ;  126 guests and members
Visitors;  
        Rotary District Governor D9800, Ross Butterworth
 
Victoria Police Leaders:  
  Assistant Commissioner- People Development Command, Kevin Casey
  Assistant Commissioner – Southern Metro Region Luke Cornelius
  Assistant Commissioner – North West Metro Region, Andrew Crisp
  Assistant Commissioner – Western Region, Jack Blayney
  Assistant Commissioner – Transit & Public Safety Command, Chris O’Neill
  Assistant Commissioner – Road Policing Command Robert Hill
  Assistant Commissioner –Eastern Region Emmett Dunne
  Acting Assistant Commissioner Crime Command - Tess Walsh
  Commander – Southern Metro Region Doug Fryer
         Director Public Support Services - Eileen Armato
  Director Media & Corporate Communications - Merita Tabain
 
Representatives from Victoria Police Legacy:  Chairman Roger Schranz and Executive Director Kay Miller
 
Rotary:
District Governors from the other Victorian Districts:
D9820, Tim Moore,  D9810 Merv Ericson,  D9790 Philip Clancy, and  D9780 Ken McInerney   
District 9800:DG Elect  - Dr. Murray Verso, DG Nominee - Julie Mason and DG Nominee Designate Neville John
Rotary International Global Grant Scholar from Texas, USA – Michelle Heard
Rotary Club Presidents, Mentors and Representatives, from: Sale, Canterbury, Keilor East, Swan Hill, Ballarat South, Brighton, Essendon, Footscray, Chadstone East Malvern, Mordialloc, Kew, Brighton North, Balwyn, Melbourne, Wangaratta, Hawthorn, Brimbank Central, Camberwell, Balwyn North and Carlton. 
 
Police Mentees
Business Mentors
Members of the Steering Committee & LMP Syndicate Support Leaders
Visiting Rotarians, Guests of members & our own Club members
Honorary Members John and Lorraine Meehan
 
President Doug welcomed members and guests and proposed the toast to Rotary International.
 
Dist Governor 9800 Ross Butterworth gave an overview of the mentoring programme [7th Year] on behalf of the Victorian Rotary Districts. 
He acknowledged;
  • the contributions of Rotarians form 21 participating clubs and commented on the close relationships established within the programme.
  • the evolving and greater enriching nature of the programme through the excellent work of the Steering Committee
  • the diversity being achieved in police officers selected for the programme
  • the number of Police Officers who have partaken on other Rotary programmes
  • the commitment of Police Chief Ken Lay and the Rotary leaders.
Ross concluded by congratulating RC Melbourne Central Sunrise for their initiative in starting and continuing to be principal club for the programme.
 
Commander Fryer was introduced and in his comments noted;
  • 140 police members have taken part in the programme to date, including himself.
  • that Rotary’s involvement is seen as a pathway for further community involvement and a catalyst to assist social change in our communities.
  • Rotary is the engine behind the Steering Committee
  • He acknowledged the value of the programme to Vic Police and said it is critical to developing their leaders.
  • He praised the highly valued partnership between Rotary and the business leaders.
  • The inspirational special speakers accessed through the year and the strategic associations.
 
Business Mentor Lisbeth Long, Managing Director of Silent Range Estate, spoke next.
Lisbeth commented that;
  • In all her business career she had never seen such a beneficial programme of this nature.
  • her mentoree  was an exceptional young woman who demonstrated excellent values and community leadership
  • much of her mentorees actions were not written in the job description, a situation she suspects applies to  many of the Vic Police members.
  • she saw evidence of excellent support for the mentoree by Vic Police.
  • she acknowledged the hard ask on mentorees to become involved when outcomes were not easily seen at the beginning of the year
  • that the mentors gain as much or more from the programme as the mentorees.
Police Mentoree Senior Sergeant Jenny Wilson was introduced by President Doug.
Jenny noted that;
  • Her first thoughts about the programme were “why me?” And likened the beginning to a first date with two strangers!
  • She wanted the experience to be positive and she was happy to open up to the two strangers – in return the mentors were both great.
  • She was challenged by the mentors to step into the unknown and to take up more activities and leadership with outcome of greater self confidence.
  • She learnt the value of forward planning, access to her leaders and having respect for your leader, knowing when to act and how to better identify issues.
  • She now has a much widened view of life and realises more the value of her own skills to the community.
Commander Fryer and Ross Butterworth presented the graduates, business mentors and Rotary mentors with their certificates of achievement.
 
The raffle raised approximately $1300, to be shared between Vic Police Legacy and the Rotary Club.
 
President Doug closed the meeting.