Recruits (2009)

A year after graduating from police college, we catch up with recruits featured in Series One. For the last year they’ve experienced the brutal reality of the job. Every day is unpredictable and every decision vital. When thieves rob a local liquor store in Port Macquarie, Mick spots their car and sets off on his first high speed car chase. Mick’s classmate Vikki is sent to arrest a woman who has breached an AVO order. In the angry commotion that ensues Vikki makes an alarming discovery. Meanwhile in Goulburn, another three hundred fresh faces turn up to Police College hoping to make the grade: Kyle’s spent the last 6 years working in a surf shop. Then there’s Mitch, a builder who hasn’t touched any books for a decade. Frankie, at 19, is hoping he’s got enough life experience to get him through the 8 month course. The students line up for their first big test, the dreaded perimeter run. The hard-nosed college protocol officers, Sergeant Elm and Inspector Varley, watch their every move.

Karin’s transformation from stay at home mum to Probationary Constable is almost complete. She’s about to hit the beat for the first time. With college behind them, they’re all about to discover how difficult it can be putting theory into practice. In Sydney’s eastern suburbs, a mysterious house packed with home made bombs proves a nightmare for Karin and the team. In Mt Druitt, Karin’s classmate Tony, speeds toward a violent domestic where a man has been stabbed. Emotions run high as Tony and his partner head into the danger zone. At Police College, downtown Rossiville is in the midst of a ‘crime wave’. Builder Mitch is called to deal with every policeman’s weekend nightmare… a brawl at the local pub. Kyle searches for drugs in a suspicious car and law graduate Alix doesn’t know it yet but a bomb is about to go off at Rossiville train station. For one unlucky student the dream of policing is suddenly over.

Former McDonald’s manager, Probationary Constable Michael Jackson, is working his dream job in Marrickville. A month after graduating, a man has posted a suicide note to his mother. As police dash to his last known address, MJ hopes they’re not too late. In Mount Druitt, aspiring prosecutor Tony is investigating the “Great Pie Theft”. Pies and sausage rolls have been stolen from a local servo. Tony tracks the perpetrators down with the takings still hot and sweaty. Student recruit Nina wants to work with juveniles once she graduates from police college. But in Rossiville she has her own troublesome teenager to deal with. A youth suspected of carrying a knife is refusing to leave the local High School. She discovers being too friendly can be very dangerous. At 59, Marilyn has waited a long time to begin her policing career. As a former triathlete she’s used to pushing herself physically. But when a PT class goes wrong her future is under a cloud.

One of the most exciting days at Police College comes around as the student’s receive their brand new uniforms. It’s a first taste of their impending future and a reward for their achievements so far. But the celebration doesn’t last for long as it’s also time for the most confronting class of the course. A “death knock” is a sobering experience for all and a grim reminder of the realities awaiting them on the beat. Nina learns how to break the tragic news that a loved one has died. In Bankstown, Probationary Constable Declan witnesses a real tragedy unfolding. A carload of youths have wrapped a car around a tree. It’s an anxious wait as ambulance officers fight to save the life of a teenage passenger. Declan becomes heavily involved in a case that all police dread. In downtown Rossiville – jokingly referred to as “the crime capital of Australia”, it’s assessment time. Alix’s skills are put to the test when a deranged man plants a tripwire and bomb on a bus. He’s eagerly trying to coax in an unsuspecting constable to set the explosion off. At 19, Frankie’s never been in a fight. But he now finds himself trying to sort out a massive brawl at the Rossiville Hotel. Instructors hope he’ll be assertive enough to take charge and break up the wild mob.

At the half-way point in the course, the students swap college for the street. They’ll spend two weeks out on field placement in their home towns observing police working on the beat. For the bright-eyed students it’s chance to experience policing at the coal face. Some may find the job so confronting they could choose to cut their careers short. Builder Mitch goes home to Newcastle. It’s Saturday night and the city’s become party central. A situation dramatically escalates as a group of drunks just won’t go home. It literally ends in tears as the OC spray is deployed and arrests are made. Nina gets her wish to work with juveniles. In Goulburn, a boy has been accused of breaking a car windscreen. When he refuses to give a statement Nina helps break the ice by showing him her favourite tattoo. Meanwhile, Frankie returns to hometown Fairfield where all is not what it seems. Something suspicious in a local park rings alarm bells for Frankie and the team.

Gold Coast surfer Alex has been posted to Parkes in Central NSW … it’s a 6 hour drive to the nearest beach and he’s missing the waves. It’s been quite an adjustment working in the country and, as Alex discovers, being part of a small community means getting involved with its most intimate problems. A terrified mum is receiving death threats on Facebook. Alex delivers an urgent AVO to the accused, and need to be on his game. Back in Goulburn, the students have returned from field placements for the start of Session 2. They’ve waited a long time to get their hands on a firearm – and now that terrifying day has arrived. Many have never seen a gun let alone touched one. Nerves kick in as Alix, Kyle & Mitch line up on the firing range for the first time. However, there’s one popular student who’s noticeably absent. 59 year-old grandmother Marilyn, has been given some devastating news.

When the Recruits launch a road blitz a suspicious Hummer attracts the attention of rookie cop Andrew Hubbard. All appears above board until the passenger’s behaviour starts to raise eyebrows. Across town in Sydney’s east mother of three Karin is on a RBT patrol dealing with a disgruntled driver who’s just failed a breath test. At police college Frankie apprehends a carload of armed offenders. Kyle discovers that not every driver he stops will be polite and co-operative. Meanwhile physical fitness tests keep getting harder. 23 year old former events manager Mieke Williams is so determined to stay ahead of the game, she’s been training with the boys. But the six kilometer rope run proves a bigger challenge than she had ever imagined.

Former McDonald’s manager Michael Jackson is on the trail of armed robbers. They have held up two bottle shops within the space of half an hour and escaped in a high performance getaway car. On the NSW North Coast, Mick Newman is called to a domestic dispute, where he makes a dangerous discovery. And at Police College, with her bleach blonde hair and tattoos, Nina has struggled to fit in. Now she has a massive decision to make about her future.

Domestic violence is one of the most common and confronting aspects of policing. This week at Police College students experience the complexities of dealing with people in domestic conflict. At the Rossiville bakery a woman has been assaulted by her partner. The fight is still in progress as Kyle heads in to separate the screaming couple. On the beat, the rookies are exposed to the unpredictable nature of domestics. At 21, Corey Wolven is just 4 months out of College. Now working the beat in Sydney’s Rosehill, Corey and his team negotiate with a couple in the middle of a fight … the woman is refusing to leave. The situation seems resolved but several hours later Corey is back at the same house. In Mount Druitt, domestics are an everyday job for aspiring prosecutor Tony Strik. In the middle of the night, a man has threatened to kill his ex-partner. Its Tony's job to deal with the terrified family.

For the policing students at Goulburn the course is almost over. It’s now time to apply everything they’ve learnt over the last 7 months in an exercise guaranteed to raise stress levels... Building searches. Building searches are dangerous and unpredictable. Frank confronts an unknown intruder lurking inside a large warehouse and an unhappy employee tests Nina’s decision making skills. On the beat, the discovery of a stolen vehicle at a Sydney oil refinery sparks a major manhunt- new recruit Corey is on high alert. And in Leichhardt, Todd and his partner investigate the report of an intruder in an abandoned hotel. Todd’s never drawn his weapon before but he’s about to.

At police college, pressure builds as the students begin final assessments. Alix faces her fears on the firing range while nineteen year-old Frankie must prove he’s assertive enough to handle troublemakers on the beat. Meanwhile, Mitch sets out to survive the toughest academic exam in the course - law. For Nina, it’s a very different story. She’s passed most of the assessments but her professional suitability is suddenly called into question. After eight months of study she receives devastating news that may bring her dreams to an end.In Bankstown, aspiring police prosecutor Tony has learnt to expect the unexpected. He’s tracked down a woman who has a warrant out for her arrest only to discover she’s been in hospital having a baby. Later that night, Tony’s patrol pulls over a suspicious car with a driver who is very reluctant to get out. The reason soon becomes apparent - he’s wearing no pants.