After eight years in West End as part of her nineteen years with the QPS, Senior Constable Sandrene (Sandi) Trembath is leaving to start a new career. Her last day on the beat was Friday, 20 May, and I joined her as she said goodbye to some locals. The overwhelming sentiment from those Sandi has worked with and supported in West End, is “we will miss you!”

While she is on extended service leave until the end of the year, Sandi will explore new study and career options within the education system.

Senior Sergeant Geoff Douglas who is senior officer at West End Police Station said Sandi will be missed.

“I think I speak for many within the QPS and the local community who know Sandi and know how she performed her role as our community beat officer when I say she will be missed. 

“I personally relied heavily on the understanding she helped me develop during my time here of the diversity within the West End community and how a more preventative police response, often relying on collaboration with other community service providers, was at times the more effective response to a particular community safety problem or risk. 

“Her work and contributions here have been so valuable, and I am grateful for her efforts. We wish her the very best success for her future. “

Sandi recently had a short stint at Logan as a break for her mental health and concluded that now is the best time to move on when she is at an age when starting a new career is still possible.

“As a community beat officer my focus was always to prevent crime. To prevent victimisation and prevent offending through community engagement. But a lot of people don’t understand how tough the job is.”

Sandi would like to see her style of policing adopted more broadly across the Queensland Police Service.

“Policing is so much more than arresting people and writing tickets. People want someone to talk to when they feel unsafe or have an issue. And all I’ve done is go out into the community to create a space for people to come and talk to me.”

Sandi says she has observed a rise in abusive behaviour in recent years.

“I think it’s everywhere. It’s a cultural shift. And I’m just done. Life’s too short to feel like this. So, my plan will be to just get my physical and mental health the way I want it. I feel happy with my decision.”

 

Micah Projects’ Street to Home team.

Sandi with Iain Cobbo and Judy Pitt, and with Charlie Lay and friends

Saad Farooqui, manager of the Street to Home outreach program at Micah Projects, told the Westender that Sandi has shown us that people in authority can be compassionate and human.

“Sandi has been an amazing support to people on the streets and services such as Micah projects. She’s gone out of her way to support people who are stigmatised and her popularity in West End speaks for itself. We will miss Sandi and her friendly face.”

Uncle Adam Hopkins, elder and director at Jagera Hall expressed similar sentiments.

“She goes out of her way to help people. She will be sadly missed”

Andrew Webster from West End Community House said Sandi is one of those people whose good reputation precedes them.

“And then you meet Sandi, and the reputation makes sense. Sandi has been amazing to work with in West End. She brings amazing understanding and life wisdom to a role that is complex and not for the faint of heart. Sandi will be missed majorly around West End.”

Sandi says that West End and the people she has come to know here will always have a special place in her heart. She wants people to know she is grateful to those who have supported her and who have understood her approach to community policing.

“I will come back and do some rounds off duty. 

Sandi is not sure whether someone will step into her role.

“I hope we find someone, but this role is not operational. So, you take big pay cut to do this sort of work, so it’s got to be someone who’s willing to take the pay cut and is interested in this sort of work.”

In 2022, Sandi was awarded ‘Most outstanding female practitioner’ at the Queensland Women in Policing Awards.

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Senior Constable Sandi on the West End Beat.

All images by Jan Bowman