Class 365 graduated from the Goulburn Police Academy this month. Photos: NSW Police.
Late last year, the NSW Police welcomed its biggest class of graduates in a decade when 298 new probationary constables joined.
But the record has been broken again this month, with 302 probational constables recently graduating from the Goulburn Police Academy in Class 365.
Of these new constables, 26 will be deployed to the wider NSW South Coast region. Three will go to Lake Illawarra, two to the Monaro, four to the Murray River, three to the Murrumbidgee, three to the Riverina, five to the South Coast, four to the Hume and two to Wollongong.
The numbers mean Class 365 is the largest group of graduates in 11 years and they start their first day on the beat this month.
Six new police dogs have also graduated.
“Thank you for putting yourself forward to protect the NSW community,” NSW Premier Chris Minns told them.
“This is the latest class to benefit from our paid study program, we have delivered police a historic pay rise, and we have launched initiatives to get cops back to the bush.”
The probationary constables will be deployed to police stations across the state to serve local communities.
Their ages ranged from 18 to over 40. Sixteen were from Wollongong, while other recruits came from the South Coast, Snowy Mountains, Wagga Wagga, Goulburn and Albury.
Police conducted a parade during the graduation of Class 365 at the Goulburn Police Academy.
NSW Police has received 3910 applications since November 2023 following the announcement that recruits would be paid to train at the academy.
“This represents a 70 per cent increase in applications,” a police spokesperson said. ”Of those applications, there’s been a 33 per cent increase in female applicants.
“In the five months since the announcement of the new award agreement, 1444 applications to join the NSW Police Force have been received.”
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb APM said Class 365 demonstrated a major turning point in recruitment for the police force.
“It’s the biggest class in 11 years, with more than 300 recruits marching off the parade ground, which is a milestone in our campaign to boost the ranks,” she said.
She said she was enormously proud there had also been a spike in women joining the force.
Once the new constables start work, they will also complete 12 months’ on-the-job training and study through distance education with Charles Sturt University.
They officially graduate with an Associate Degree in Policing Practice once they have passed all academic and operation standards.
The officers will then be confirmed to the rank of constable.
The first class of trainee police officers paid to study were sworn in and joined the force in mid-2024.
