Aidan Curtis
A FORMER Mount Gambier/Berrin local is on the career path of his dreams after graduating from the South Australian Police Academy.
Harrison Dowie graduated from the academy at the end of April and was assigned to the Holden Hill police station in Adelaide’s north eastern suburbs as a probationary constable.
PC Dowie has been a Protective Security Officer (PSO) for the last two years and said he was very excited to now be at the start of his policing career.
“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, so it’s been quite an exciting nine and a half months,” he said.
“I’m really looking forward to getting out there and putting all the training into practice.”
He said, being from Mount Gambier/Berrin originally, it was a bit of an adjustment to move to the city, but being a PSO and his time at the academy helped him find his feet.
“I settled in well and I met some great people at the academy when I started as a PSO, I’m still really good friends with them to this day,” he said.
“I think that’s really important – the people we meet at the academy, we really push each other through and get through together.
“It is a daunting experience moving from a country town into the city, but the support network that you gain at the academy and all the friends you gain makes it a lot easier.”
PC Dowie said he is eager to stay in Adelaide and build his policing career for the foreseeable future, but did not rule out a return to Mount Gambier/Berrin.
“I’m really looking forward to doing a few years out on patrols and getting all that experience because on patrols we deal with pretty much everything,” he said.
“It’s definitely an option that I’ll consider in the future, to head back down to Mount Gambier.
“I’ve worked with some of the officers down there throughout some of the out phases that we do at the academy, and the team down there is just incredible, but at the moment, I really enjoy the fast pace of the city.”
