Growing up knowing she wanted to be a police officer, Const Roberts decided to delay following that path for something completely different – beauty therapy.
“I think for (policing) you need to have maturity and a bit of life experience so I stayed in that (beauty therapy) job, worked my way up and after four years decided it was the right time (to join the police).
“Family and friends in the (police) said ‘wait until you’re a little bit older’ and I’m glad I did.”
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After joining the force at 23, the Murdoch constable quickly built a reputation as a dedicated officer keen to engage with the community.
Murdoch officer-in-charge Glenn Swannell described her as the best police officer he had seen for her age. And the results are there to back up that claim.
Constable Roberts holds the highest arrest rate at the Murdoch base and has contributed, with the station’s local policing team three, to a 13 per cent reduction in crime in the Coolbellup area over the past year.
“There’s going out and arresting people who are doing the wrong things, then there’s engaging with the community which I love as well,” she said.
“It’s very satisfying to see the 13 per cent reduction. It shows we’re out there and it’s working.”
Const Roberts said she was surprised by her nomination for the excellence award.
“I don’t expect to win. I’m grateful to get to the top three and if I was to win I don’t know what I would do.”
Winners will be announced on December 8.