The best and brightest police rangers from the Armadale Unit were celebrated in an awards ceremony last week at Cecil Andrews College.
The Armadale Unit was the first of its kind, and paved the way for future units in secondary schools all over the state.
The foundations of WA’s Police Rangers initiative can be directly linked to an adventure training course started in Armadale in 1987.
With the assistance of Constable John Browner, First-Class Constable Andy Taylor, Soldier Keith Jackson, and tradesman Tony Wareham that original course was transformed into the foundations of training that continue to teach young people about policing, survival training, camp etiquette, leadership skills, personal development and more.
And the intergenerational impact of the rangers on the local community cannot be undersold.
“Rangers has provided the youth of Armadale an opportunity to give back to their community and network with local groups such as Neighbourhood Watch, Salvation Army, Rotary Club, RSL and many others. It helps show the community that today’s generation is all the more willing to assist where they can and shows the younger ones a pathway into potential policing as well as a way to do their part,” Armadale Unit Leader Ben Boekholt said.
Each year, the unit selects those rangers who have best exemplified the role and expectations of police rangers.
“We want the cadets to feel encouraged, personally improve, be committed, and be supportive of the group, the community and themselves,” Mr Boekholt said.
Congratulations to the following award recipients:
- Encouragement Award- Pomana Nopera
- Dux of the Unit Award – Jessica Goodger
- Most Improved – Maverick Bennett
- Best Individual – Vivienne Gallagher
- Uniform – Christopher Maynard, Thomas Nopera, Ellie-Marie Dodd
- Rangers Choice – Vivienne Gallagher
- Salvation Army – Connor Porter and Xavier Macey
- Committed Volunteers – Kiara Clark, Allyra Clark, Kane Burgess, and Blake Burgess
- New Recruitment – Lily Lewis-Bicknell
- Best New Ranger – Constance Wilson.
- Supportive Family – Porter Family (Phillip and Connor Porter)
- Attendance Award – Skye Anderson, Chamieka Brown
- Endeavour Award – Police Museum Historical society – Riley Mitchell
- The Professional Conduct & Ethics Award-Armadale RSL – Lauchlan McGinnigle
- Rotary of Kenwick – Blake Burgess
- The Manse Restaurant award – Phillip Porter
- Ranger of the Year – Kane Burgess
