Forty years ago, a group of police and emergency service personnel established the first Victoria Police & Emergency Services Games. Their aim then, as it is now, was to provide an opportunity for employees from across the police and emergency services sector to come together in the spirit of fitness, fun and a healthy degree of competition.
From the outset, the Games have promoted a clear focus on participation by sportspeople of all abilities – from the elite to the enthusiastic. This focus has been intentional and in recognition of the truism, ‘healthy body, healthy mind’. After the challenges and demands that we have all faced in 2020, it has never been more important to take care of ourselves and of each other, and to enjoy the camaraderie that sport, and the Games in particular, fosters.
The evidence is that the Games continue to grow with every year. Before it was cancelled, the 2020 Games had attracted over 2900 registrations from 30 different agencies for an array of sports, the most popular being the soccer sevens, netball, basketball, lawn bowls and angling. I’d like to think that we could equal or better this figure in 2021!
Organising such an event is a massive undertaking and I want to acknowledge and thank the Victoria Police Games Federation for overseeing the running of the event every year since 1981.
The Geelong region will host the 2021 Games and I hope to see as many of you as possible at events in and around the area. Come, compete and challenge yourself, whether as an individual or in a team – it may be for a medal or it may be for a milestone performance.
I will be there in either my police uniform, or my running (or, dare I say it, shuffling) gear.
The training starts now!
Shane Patton,
APM Chief Commissioner
Victoria Police
