client services

support staff

solicitor

executive support officer

project manager

South Australia Police

Doing this job is one of the most rewarding while at the same time soul destroying jobs you can find.  You can do everything absolutely 100% right 999,999 times but that one time you get it wrong or allow someone to provoke you, you could find yourself sacked or even criminally charged. You could find yourself in front of a court for defending your own or another’s life, the public is always ready to judge you as corrupt even when they don’t know you from Adam. But when you get it right and you do help someone out of a bad situation and they give you that smile of thanks, there’s nothing like it. 

Sapol have an amazing way of overlooking all the good work people do and pick up on the things you have overlooked due to time restraints. There is no logical management or education in regard to processes. Many officers are learning from others and if those providing their knowledge are not great officers then the quality drops from there. Management are a joke. The company needs a reshuffle and some positive role models. 

I worked for 6 months as an IT Project Manager and below are my take regarding the working environment of SA Police. 

Pros: 
> One gets the satisfaction of doing something positive for the community. 
> Work with some wonderful people in the frontline. 
> Free Gym and Cycle parking locker

Cons: 
> Extremely political environment. 
> Top management is clueless and no guidance provided. 
> During difficult situation you are on your own. 

If you are good in office politics this place is for you, if not then you wont last long.

Supervision, motivation, documentation demands, teaching commitments, managing recruits.
Hardest part of the job is navigating the various demands of senior management (interference) and the changes implemented in the workplace without meaningful consultation.
Best part of the job, watching recruits develop and co-workers.

Don't waste your time. The salary might sound appealing, and the teams are great (for the most part), but management/bosses couldn't care less about you and are mostly there to fill government requests. 

I loved the job of a police officer. I hated everything that came with it. There's a reason everyone is trying to get out.

Great colleagues on the floor that all give 100%. Great atmosphere between call takers. Everyone happy to help each other out. Very challenging place to work. Calibre of calls can be very stressful. 
Not a lot of positive feedback given. 



I learned to use the SAPOL computer systems, do criminal checks, and prepare Criminal History Certificates

The Management were very helpful and friendly and easy to approach

My co-workers were great to work with

The most enjoyable part of the job were flexible working hours

It’s a great career until you get injured, especially if it’s a psychological injury, you get short term help then the self insured work cover section go to extreme lengths to try to disprove your claim. 

Many of my colleagues have suicided not because of their original injury but because of the work cover process!

Overall, SAPOL provides a good workplace with good renumeration.
Police work can be tough and arduous but is highly rewarding.
Unfortunately management is lacking in talent and desire to look after the troops adequately and appear only interested in their own career progression. This will hopefully change over time.

In the 1970s I saw some police cadets working as a team shifting hay from a truck into the stables at the Police Barracks, Thebarton. That image left me with sense that these boys were part of a team. From the time I joined, trained and then swore to serve, that feeling of working in a team never left me.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Client services 5 salaries reported	$63,154 per year
Support staff 6 salaries reported	$63,154 per year
Solicitor 6 salaries reported	$122,510 per year
Executive support officer 4 salaries reported	$85,879 per year
Project manager 6 salaries reported	$120,624 per year

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