In 2015, the NSW Police Force celebrates 100 years of women in policing. The anniversary marks a significant milestone for the Force and celebrates the evolution of the role of women in policing in NSW since the introduction of our first female Special Constables in 1915. Many of you will know Guyra resident, Detective Senior Constable Leah Harman who works in Armidale, but do you know why she joined the police?
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Why did you become a police officer?
I had always thought of becoming a police officer, but I got married and had children and thought it wasn’t ever going to happen.
And then my husband encouraged me to do it and I was able to, so I studied by distance, and then went to the academy and attested when I was in my 30s.
After that we moved to the New England. I always wanted to make a difference, to try in some way to make things better for the community, and now I can do that.
Where have you worked and in what roles?
I was 38 when I graduated from the Goulburn Police Academy and I was posted straight to Armidale in 2007. I was in general duties for several years, working in the Armidale area.
Then I spent two years in the New England Target Action Group before I transferred into the New England detectives unit as a plain-clothes detective, where I have been for the past 12 months.
What do you remember about some of your first days on the job?
I remember, when I got here to Armidale, one of my first jobs was a drunk at the pub. He was this very big man who was being offensive and my actual thought was I was going to get belted by him, because I was never going to be able to move him, but I talked to him and he got up and walked away. It was such a relief.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
It doesn’t matter whether you have big operations that you work on for a long time, or just small wins, there are times when you can get a good result.
For example, it’s a good feeling knowing you’ve stopped one person from distributing drugs in the community. I haven’t had many tough days. I think I’m known as one of the white clouds, because I’ve managed to sail through.
But I think it’s dealing with the victims when something happens to them. Sometimes you see them quite a bit after the incident and throughout the court process, but when they say “thank you”, it’s often just a simple few words, but you know it’s worth it, because you’ve helped someone.
Are there any highlights or challenges to your job of being a female officer in country areas?
In country policing, you learn to do things differently. You interact with the community a lot more than in city policing. You live and work in the community you police and you’re more involved.
A lot of the time you know who your crooks are and they come and go.
Is there a police officer you look up to and why?
There are a lot of inspirational women in the NSW Police Force wherever you go. I’m used to working with a lot of males and they do a great job. There are a lot of police officers, both male and female, who I look up to and I’ve been lucky enough to work with and learn from them. I think there are more women coming through the ranks now since I have been in.
