Warrnambool police officer reflects on two decades in the force on International Women's Day

After joining in 2002, the acting senior sergeant was stationed at Frankston, Wangaratta, Endeavour Hills and Dandenong stations before arriving in Warrnambool five years ago.

She has held various roles in water police, highway patrol, family violence and the divisional and tactical intelligence units.

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At the beginning of her career, Acting Senior Sergeant Blackett-Smith was one of only three women in the water police.

Now in her 20th year of policing, she is among the 25 per cent of female officers who make up western region division two, which encompasses Warrnambool, Moyne, Corangamite, Glenelg and Southern Grampians local government areas.

Speaking to The Standard for International Women's Day today, Acting Senior Sergeant Blackett-Smith admitted the force remained a male-dominated industry, particularly in regional areas where it was difficult to get metropolitan women to move, or remain, for work.

But she said there'd been positive improvements during her two-decade career, including the launch of the Woman in Policing Local Committee (WIPLC) about five years ago.

The committee assists female members with issues around maternity leave, returning to work, work-life balance and workplace conflicts and inclusion.

Acting Senior Sergeant Blackett-Smith said she was joined on the committee by a number of women who were passionate about identifying issues and influencing change.

"I live by the phrase 'the standard you walk past is the standard you accept' and I'm willing to stand up and say 'that's not right'," she said.

Acting Senior Sergeant Blackett-Smith also believes a better understanding of improved workplace flexibility has enabled more women to remain in the job.

A mother of three children with two just 12 months apart, the police officer said outside of maternity leave, she'd never moved to part-time work.

"I've taken three lots of maternity leave but have otherwise been full-time my whole career," she said.

The Acting Senior Sergeant moved into the Dandenong police divisional intelligence unit nine years ago, enabling her to work from an office rather than on the beat.

She was a tactical intelligence operative for the southern metro crime team before taking up the same role in the Warrnambool police crime investigation unit.

More recently, Acting Senior Sergeant Blackett-Smith was promoted to unit commander of the division's intelligence unit.

Under that role, she delivers intelligence - such as Crime Stoppers reports - to the appropriate units to be further investigated, and identifies crime trends to assist in creating proactive strategies to reduce crime and improve community safety.

"It means I have that flexibility where I can work a variety of shifts," Acting Senior Sergeant Blackett-Smith said.

She said western region division two was also "blessed" with good management, including her husband Inspector Paul Marshall and Superintendent Martin Hardy.

"Having a family himself, Paul has a good understanding of that need for flexibility and Martin is also very supportive of women in all roles," she said.

But Acting Senior Sergeant Blackett-Smith said an increase in the ratio of female members would help to improve service delivery to regional women.

"We need more diversity because having a range of people in policing, whether it's gender, culture, religion or sexual orientation, means we represent our community," she said.

"To associate with our community, you need to have that understanding and that's what women in policing bring."

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