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“No one was more surprised than myself when I applied for a job with police,” Senior Police Liaison Officer (S/PLO) Mary Kenyi said.

Migrating to Australia in May 2004, Mary Keyni’s past interaction with police from her home country had been very different.

However, after arriving in Australia and beginning work as a teacher’s aide, she realised some people in her community was struggling to settle into their new home.

“Initially I joined the Sudanese Women Association. Through this role I helped organise community education sessions of DFV and I would interpret for the ladies with my little English at the time.”

“I became interested in helping with domestic and family violence (DFV) and child safety issues,” she said.

“When a Sudanese Police Liaison Officer (PLO) position with the Queensland Police Service (QPS) was advertised in 2007, I decided this was the time to step up and help my community.”

In the QPS, PLOs play a significant role in supporting cultural and linguistically diverse (CALD) victims of crime.

“The QPS vision is to deliver safe and secure communities. PLOs are the bridge to these communities,” she said.

“As a PLO, I provide support and referrals to crime victims, help prevent re-victimization and ensure that victims of crime can feel safe again.”

“After a crime has occurred, we will engage with the victims to provide wellbeing support and listen to them, identifying any concerns which may have led to the incident.”

“We will then address these issues by providing advice and connecting victims with relevant support services to prevent the crime from recurring.”

Having worked as a PLO for almost 17 years, S/PLO Kenyi says it has broadened her understanding of other cultures and provided a great opportunity for personal growth and development.

A key memory that stands out to her from her time as a PLO relates to feedback she received from a young man she helped.

“In 2009 I was involved in a youth justice conferencing for a young man who had turned to committing crime and didn’t have a strong relationship with his family.” she said.

“Through the conferencing, the young man became remorseful and agreed it was time to turn his life around and participate in his local Police-Citizens Youth Club.”

“Two years later, I received a call from an unknown number, I answered the phone, and it was him calling to thank me for being his support person at the youth justice conferencing, and for my advice.”

“He stated that it a big turning point for him, now he had a better life, he had a job and had reconnected with his sibling.”

“I was delighted because he had a second chance, the community is safer with one more person who will not re-offend.”

If you’re interested in learning more about Police Liaison Officers, what they do, how they work with Police Officers, and how to become one, visit the or contact your local police station.