GARDAI MATE..

Aussie police force recruiting Irish cops

AN Australian police force is coming to Ireland to try and lure serving gardai Down Under.

The Mirror has learned that South Australia Police is targeting 200 officers here and in the UK and will be in Dublin later this month.

It is holding a recruitment drive in a city hotel and we have learned that the Adelaide-headquartered force, known as SAPOL, has already had more than 50 expressions of interest from serving cops.

Force recruiter Aislinn Kavanagh said: “We have had a good level of inquiry.

“I am expecting over the next week or two for that to heighten.

“The SAPOL team are expecting a very large turnout at the Dublin expo, with over 50 registrations received in the last 24 hours.”

The expo takes place at the Temple

really

Bar Hotel in central Dublin on March 20 and sources have told us officers all around the country intending to attend. One said: “There is a lot of interest in it.”

Ms Kavanagh, who is from Kilkenny but has worked in Australia for more than a decade, told us SAPOL was looking internationally to help fill vacancies because of the shortage on the labour market.

She said that under the special recruitment programme, serving gardai who opt to join up would only spend 15 weeks at the force academy – compared to the normal ninemonth training programme.

She added: “What we’re doing is taking your skills and making sure you know how to apply them in a South Australian legislative context.

“In South Australia you can enjoy a friendly, laid back lifestyle and an enviable work-life balance.”