July 6, 2022
Three new police officers will be patrolling South Burnett streets from this week.
The three First Year Constables are fresh out of the Police Academy at Oxley and have been assigned to local police stations.
Former South Burnett resident Josh Dodt has been placed at Kingaroy, while Michael Freeleagus will go to Murgon and Kristoffer Joven will be at Nanango.
The trio began their training on January 10 at the Academy, part of the biggest intake of police recruits for about 10 years.
Constable Dodt is “coming home” to the South Burnett.
He went to school in Yarraman and Nanango and took up a trade as a builder before deciding to change careers.
He has family members and friends who are police officers, which inspired him to take up the job.
Constable Freeleagus, from the Sunshine Coast, said joining the QPS had been a goal for many years.
“Helping the community can be very rewarding,” he said.
Constable Joven, who grew up in Brisbane, said he wanted to “give back” to the community.
He said it was his first time in the South Burnett but he was very excited about his new role in Nanango.
Officer-in-charge of Kingaroy Police, Senior Sergeant Dave Tierney, said the new officers would be placed with senior officers for eight weeks.
They would get the opportunity to do the same type of jobs that police do in Brisbane but at a slower pace.
“They will also learn the value of community policing. We can’t do the job without the help of the community,” he said.
