FORMER Laverton College principal Jeff Bell has graduated from the Victoria Police academy to become possibly Victoria’s oldest probationary police constable at 56.
His training station was Keilor Downs, before he was seconded for two years at Brunswick. In December, he’ll become a full constable.
After six years at Altona Meadows Primary School, Mr Bell led the merger of three Laverton schools over four years. Then he decided to follow his burning ambition.
“I always wanted to be a cop but back in ’74 when I did VCE – or HSC as we called it then – there was a height restriction,” he said.
“I think you had to be 5 foot 8 [inches], or 5 foot 10. I was never going to make that.”
In the old measurement, he is about 5 foot 7 or 170 centimetres.
“I think they got to the stage where they wanted to recruit big, tough, strong males. But with the changing nature of society you need people that have got not only the physical attributes but other attributes of understanding. People might relate [better] to an older person, they might relate to a younger person. They might relate to a male better or a female better.’’
For the martial arts practitioner and cricketer who always maintained his fitness, keeping up with younger colleagues or chasing crooks is not an issue. But he’s more likely to be talking than scaling fences.
He says the hardest job he has attended was an attempted suicide.
“That’s always challenging,” Constable Bell said. “Or a code 12 car accident where a person’s been seriously injured. Or dealing with people with an intellectual disability or a mental disorder and trying to communicate with them.”
So, which job is more stressful: teaching or policing? “They’re both challenging jobs, both very interesting, both at times unpredictable.
“I’m just happy and I recommend to anyone to join the police force or follow their dream.”
