A traffic motorcycle cop: that could be me

During the inaugural Women’s Week celebrations, we’ll be sharing the stories of 10 of our successful female officers to inspire women to think ‘that could be me‘. 

Senior Constable Rozy Henriksen, as one of the first of QPS’ female motorcycle traffic cops, loves the freedom of the job, riding her motorcycle each day, making a difference to road safety.

I found my way to policing…

When I joined the police back on 2004, I had already experienced the industry while working overseas in Norway a few years prior. I had decided that the police was a great career for me because I knew that I was able to deal with most situations and the police service offers such a diversity in areas of interest and will remain a secure job for those who enter the industry.

When joining, I was living on the Gold Coast and got my first posting there. The Gold Coast was a great place to learn because of the amount of various people who visit. Everyone and anyone passes through the Gold Coast at some stage and being a high tourist attraction, it was always busy and it never got boring.

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My service history…

I started off working a couple of years in general duties working out of the Southport Police Station with a great crew. I was always told that the busiest stations have the best vibes and you develop the best of friends. This rang true for me because we were so connected by the workload we faced every day.

I left the streets of the Gold Coast to spend some time bettering my skills and becoming an Officer Safety and Firearms Instructor at the academy. For five years I was there involved in teaching groups of police recruits about the seriousness and risks involved in our work, and how to deal with these situations.

I then decided that a change was needed and I applied for the Scenes of Crime (SOC) course. After completing the course I was appointed to working at the Upper Mount Gravatt Scenes of Crime unit. As part of Forensic Services Group, I was examining crime scenes and working close with detectives and scientific. It was very rewarding because the work being done was making a difference to the investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigation Branch or General Duties police.

After four years in SOC, an opportunity came up to apply for a position within the Road Policing Command. This was something that I had thought about for some time, mainly because riding was something I really enjoyed and was on my own bike most days riding to and from work and even in my own time. I was successful in my application, however would have to attend the three week police motorcycle course and pass the course to get a bike. The three week course was one of the hardest courses I had done and extremely challenging.

I passed the course and, along with one other female on the same course Linda Tajnai, I became the first female police motorcyclist in the history of the Queensland Police Service. Creating history by doing this was incredibly rewarding and I love the job I do now.

My family…

When I first started out and joined the QPS, I had a daughter who was only eight years old at the time. This was challenging as well because of the amount of time spent away and studying, however the end result was worth it because I was able to achieve a secure income, a rewarding job and more time to spend with her in the long run.

The toughest part of the job…

For me was working as a SOC officer. This job was busy all the time and the job required you to see and do a lot of things that the ‘normal person’ would not usually ever have to see or do. Even though the job was rewarding by the operational support we provided, it was challenging mentally when dealing with some scenes. There is no really nice way of putting it, but death was a frequent confrontation and this can be challenging at times.

The best part of my job now…

Is that I have the freedom to move around within my district and focus my attention on road safety. My unit is amazing and filled with an extremely supportive team. Even though the RPU is a highly male dominated area of the QPS, this did not phase me at all and being the only female working in the unit is not hard because the boys treat me like everyone else in the office. My officer in charge is a man who supported me throughout the motorcycle course and who had more faith in me than I did at times. He and a couple of my new colleagues gave me the belief, the skills and the encouragement that was needed for me to achieve. Being a very stubborn person helped too, because I had set my mind on this career path.

Me at parade

A virtue to live by…

I guess I have always been a go getter and once I set my mind on achieving something, then I won’t stop until I achieve it, but it certainly helps when you have people in your life who believe in you and are there to support you. I have a very loving and supporting close family who regardless of failures or achievements, were there for me every time. I strongly believe that you create your own reality. I live by that and know that anyone can achieve what they want to achieve.

The best advice I can give to a potential female recruit thinking ‘that could be me’ is…

If I could offer any advice to any person male or female joining this job and is considering a specialist area, it would be that you must never give up. If an opportunity presents itself, take it. Never say ‘I can’t’. If it’s something that you want, then don’t make excuses as to why you shouldn’t have it right now. Make it happen for you! The only thing standing in the way of you achieving your dreams, is you. Go for it and if you fail the first time, go for it again.

Visit policerecruit.com.au or call 1300 BE A COP.

For more stories from ‘That could be me’, visit here.