You might not think having your co-worker with you 24/7 sounds ideal, but for Sergeant Jaye Lilley it’s an important part of her dream job.
Former Senior Constable, now Sergeant Lilley works side-by-side with man’s best friend to fight crime with the Brisbane Dog Squad.
“Choosing the dog squad is a lifestyle choice,” Sergeant Lilley said.
“They live at home with us. They become part of your family. The dog relies on you and we rely on the dog for the results.”
Sergeant Lilley joined the QPS in 2006, at age 26.
From early on in her training Sergeant Lilley had a pretty good idea she wanted to end up in the dog squad, but it was a long road to get there.
First, she had to finish her recruit training, then her First Year Constable work with six months at Petrie and six months at Sandgate before she secured a permanent posting at Stafford Police Station.
Getting paid to spend your days with dogs sounds like a pretty great job, so entry is extremely competitive.
“I had to put in a lot of hard work,” Sergeant Lilley said.
“It took me six years, then I finally got shortlisted, got an interview and missed out. About 12 months later I had another interview where I succeeded.
“From there I then had to go and complete psychometric testing and then had to go on a 14-week dog course which is very physical,” Sergeant Lilley said.
The physical demands don’t stop once you make it into the squad.
Even now, Sergeant Lilley and other Dog Squad Officers undertake regular training to stay in peak condition, as do the dogs themselves.
Sergeant Lilley works with a specialist dog, supporting the Drug Detection Unit.
An average day on the job for Sergeant Lilley and her canine companion involves helping investigators execute search warrants in different locations.
“We search houses, we search vehicles, we search nightclubs, we search people, pretty much anywhere you think a drug could be concealed,” Sergeant Lilley said.
Drug-sniffing dogs can locate well-concealed illicit substances, helping to outwit crafty criminals.
QPS has more than 70 active police dogs, and dog/handler teams are located across the QPS regions, from Cairns to the Gold Coast to Mount Isa.
‘General purpose dogs’, as opposed to specialist dogs, are trained to support police by tracing missing persons or escaped offenders by scent and locating hidden or discarded evidence.
Other specialist dog teams are trained to sniff out firearms and explosives, such as for major events or VIP visits.
The QPS dog squad are growing to meet increasing state-wide demand for these important crime-fighting services and Sergeant Lilley would encourage potential QPS recruits to consider this career path.
“It’s a great job. You get to experience many challenges and you also get to test yourself and really push yourself and conquer things, I guess, you never thought that you would do,” Sergeant Lilley said.
The officers and their dogs work on a shift rota, to ensure there is always a trained member of the dog squad available whenever they might be needed.
Even when you love your job, this kind of schedule can be tough to manage, but Sergeant Lilley and her family make it work.
“You’ve just got to learn to work your family life and your work life together,” Sergeant Lilley said.
“Sometimes it works out really well and other times it can be really difficult.
“My family understand that I love my job and they’ve known right from the beginning that shift work may take me away at times but they’ve also seen the dog side of it, what I do.”
So, apart from a natural affinity with our furry friends, what do you need to make it in the QPS dog squad?
“You’ve got to be motivated,” Sergeant Constable Lilley said.
“You’ve got to be willing to push yourself and to go that extra mile and if you’re motivated and you really want it then you will get there.”
This is Jaye’s story. What’s yours?
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This is Jaye’s story, what’s yours?
