They come to Orange and the Canobolas Local Area Command with a diversity of backgrounds, but all with the same goal of serving the community.

Canobolas Local Area Command, Superintendent David Driver said the next 12 months for the probationary constables will mean their continuing academic education as they progress through the practical components on the beat as a police officer.

“But I am very confident they will get through what’s ahead,” Superintendent Driver said.

For probationary constable James Rutten he wants to use his counselling and pastoral care experience when he was training to be a minister to help victims of domestic violence and child abuse.

“I found being ordained wasn’t quite enough for me in the way I want to help the community,” he said.

Tim D’Arcy from Bathurst, whose father was a police officer in the Royal Australian Air Force, is hoping to draw on some of his law studies experience to look at branching out in the future in the field of police prosecution.

Darren Carter was also inspired by a father who was a police officer.

“I saw firsthand dad doing a lot of work to help people.

“I will keep my options open and go with the general duties work for three years and get as much experience as I can,” he said.

For Nathan Langford, policing is a complete change from a background as trainee and area manager in retail.

“I have already got quite a few mates who are police officers. They told me it was a great job so I just looked into it further and applied,” he said.

Superintendent Driver travelled to Goulburn Police Academy last week to be present for the graduation of the four probationary constables.

For the next six to eight weeks the probationary constables will be the third person on a crew, and progressing to being the second person in a car crew if they meet all the criteria after that time.

“We have a system where our probationary constables are supported during this time as they also have to work through their academic components,” Superintendent Driver said.