Police from south Australia are in Dublin for a recruitment event to try encourage members of An Garda Síochána to emirate to Australia for a job with South Australia Police.
The force is looking to recruit 200 officers from the UK and Ireland.
The ‘Down Under Live’ event is being held in Temple Bar this afternoon.
South Australia Police Chief Inspector Scott Collins said they have had an “overwhelming response” to the campaign so far from gardaí, and also from members of the police force across the UK.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, he said they believe gardaí have really transferable skills and would settle into the force in south Australia once they have completed a transition course.
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“We believe that the training gardaí receive and the manner in which they go about their policing would really complement our current workforce and the community itself as well.”
Successful garda applicants, who will need a minimum of three years’ experience in the last five years, will take part in a 15-week condensed training course before being deployed operationally.
Recruits would work 38 hours per week, with the option to work part-time or flexible hours.
Police officers are generally double crewed at the force and South Australia Police has said it will reimburse successful recruits the costs associated with obtaining a permanent visa for themselves and their families.
Chief Inspector Collins said a competitive salary is on offer, at “around €58,000 to €67,000”.
“We are expecting a large number of people to come and meet us this evening down in the live expo that we will be attending at,” he said.
Chief Inspector Collins added the standard of living in south Australia, the fact that it is a safe place to live as well as the change of scenery are some of the factors which entice to people to move there.
He added that the police force in south Australia is armed, but in his 18 years of being a member, he has never had to draw his firearm from the holster, so it is only in rare circumstances that it occurs.
