Nineteen new police officers have graduated from the Tasmania Police Academy and will be deployed to stations across the state.
The recruits, 10 women and nine men, completed the 28-week course as part of recruit course 1/2026 and will begin work at Burnie, Bridgewater, Devonport, Hobart and Launceston stations.
Police Minister Felix Ellis said the graduates had come from a range of backgrounds.
“From surf life savers to customer service officers, our new graduates have come from all walks of life, bringing valuable perspectives that reflect the community they will serve,” he said.
Ellis said Tasmania Police now had a record 1,479 officers and force had grown by more than 30% over the past decade.
“We are proud to see more Tasmanians choosing a policing career and we will continue to support pathways, like the innovative Northern Recruit Course, that encourage people to join,” he said.
Speaking at the graduation, Ellis highlighted the case of one recruit he had first met during flooding around the Derwent River in recent years when the officer was part of a surf lifesaving river rescue team.
“It’s amazing to see the ethos of service that comes through our officers,” he said.
“They see members of our community on their worst day, often as part of an everyday work day.”
Ellis also faced questions about rising firearms crime, with the Tasmania Police Firearm Dashboard showing a 22% increase in incidents where firearms were used as weapons over the past year.
He rejected calls for caps on firearm ownership, saying such limits would only affect law-abiding owners rather than criminals.
He said the government would push ahead with legislation imposing tougher penalties for firearms theft, criticising Labor and the Greens for previously opposing the measures.
His position is in stark contrast to that of police commissioner Donna Adams, who has stood by her call for a cap on the number of firearms a person can own.
