Dawn Youla represents a new approach to police working with the community. 76913 Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI
By XAVIER SMERDON
YOU can tell from the moment you walk into Leading Senior Constable Dawn Youla’s office she has a different approach to police work.
The sign on the door of her office says Proactive Unit, and that is the way Ldg Sen Const Youla, Community Liaison Officer at the Werribee Police, views her job.
“We’re in charge of all the proactive stuff in relation to liaising with the youth and pretty much any other community group,” Ldg Sen Const Youla told Star.
“Really the word community entails everything you could think of.”
Formerly a part of the Sexual Offences and Child Abuse unit, the dedicated officer is enjoying the post she has held for the last two years.
“It’s a far more positive role,” she said.
“Sometimes we get some young people come up to us and tell us that they’ve really had a turnaround in their lives. It doesn’t happen every day but when it does it’s a good feeling.”
The job could mean one minute you are talking to a group of kindergarteners and the next you are working with troubled migrant youth.
“It’s important for people to see this different side of the police,” Ldg Sen Const Youla said.
“Especially for a lot of the newly arrived migrant community. A lot of them have had a bad experience with the police and a big part of our job is trying to break down that sort of thing and show them that we do things differently.”
The Werribee Police Station is holding an open day on 4 March in which the community can come and get an insight into different aspects of the force.
