It's time for - The Police Association Victoria

DELEGATE PROfILE
Angela Coulson VA
Walking the legal tightrope
Why and when did you join the job?
My parents say that from the age of five all I
ever wanted to do was join the police force.
That dream came to fruition in 1989.
What did you do before joining the job?
I worked in child care and at a supermarket
in Bendigo.
Why did you become a delegate?
I took part in the Anna Stewart Project which
sparked an interest for industrial relations,
an area I find fascinating. After spending a
bit of time involved in the Association with
the Legal Cost Fund an opportunity arose
to run for Legal Services Delegate. I wanted
to get a better understanding of how to
achieve the best for our members and be
a part of that.
What is your favourite war story?
I was working in Castlemaine many moons
ago when the shops closed at 5.00 pm
and nothing moved after 6.00 pm. Around
midnight we intercepted a van. I was quite
excited to put something on the running
sheet apart from patrol.
The driver got out and met my partner,
Senior Constable Rick Boyd, at the front of
the police car. The van had tinted windows
so while Rick talked to the driver I decided to
take a look at the van. There was a woman
in the front seat who appeared to be asleep.
when we could have been anywhere
in Castlemaine at the time.
What is your career highlight?
Receiving a Valour Award. (Angela was
the first woman to be awarded the Valour
Award. In November 1990 Angela was
driving home along St Georges Road,
Thornbury when she saw smoke and
flames coming from the front of a house.
People were trapped in the burning house.
Angela was awarded the VA for outstanding
courage and total disregard for her own
personal safety in entering a burning house
What is your most significant
achievement as a delegate?
It has been important for me to put the
views of prosecutors forward to the
collective and gaining understanding from
other work units (delegates) to create an
even stronger unity within the workforce.
I was also successful in getting a motion
carried at Delegates’ Conference relating
to unsworn prosecutors. The Executive
took this matter very seriously, obtaining
a written confirmation that prosecutions
would not be part of the BOCC process.
How can your members best help you?
I need to be made aware of the issue before
I can do anything about it. It is important
for members to contact me with their
concerns. Don’t wait until the issue is
bursting at the seams.
What do you like most about working
in legal services?
I believe I have found my forte in
prosecutions, arguing for a living! My direct
and upper management are very supportive
and always willing to listen and take
constructive action. I particularly like that
prosecutions is both autonomous and team
work. I really enjoy training and educating
all ranks about their briefs of evidence, court
procedures and the ever evolving law.
ABOVE: Angela with the Wemberly Wonders - her daughter Grace is Number 41 - second from the right.
I asked her to get out of the vehicle and to
my surprise there was no response. I took a
closer look and realised she wasn’t sleeping.
I immediately ran toward the driver, yelling to
my partner to grab him. We managed to put
him in the back of the van and then stood
for a minute for the realisation to kick in that
we had just caught a murderer. He had shot
his wife five times in the chest and was on
his way to dump her body in the lake. D.24
operator at the time was the watchhouse
keeper, Leading Senior Constable Sally Ipsen.
She thought we were trying to pull one over
her. When she realised we were serious she
had to ring the CIU and convince them it
wasn’t a hoax. It still amazes me today that
we were so lucky to be Johnny-on-the-spot
on three occasions in the rescue of four
intellectually disabled persons at Thornbury
on 7 November 1990 whilst off duty.)
What do you do outside the job?
Currently I am undertaking a law
degree - eight years part-time and
I work as an advocate for members
requiring assistance from the Legal
Cost Fund. When I’m not working
or studying I play netball and basketball
and coach the Wemberly Wonders in
the Under 16 competition.
How would you like to be remembered?
I hope people think of me as someone who
is passionate, helpful and productive.
16 Protect Represent Support. www.tpav.org.au