Farm boy lends his shearing skills to cutting crime

Tom McGrath from Minyip has been selected by the police to front their latest campaign to attract more recruits to their ranks.

First Constable McGrath's shearing skills were highlighted by the recruiters as is his love of community.

"From shearing sheep to patrolling the streets. From a young age, First Constable Tom McGrath has always given back to community," the recruiters say.

In the police publicity for its campaign, they say when Constable McGrath is not involved in shearing sheep at his family's 103-year-old Minyip farm, he was involved in youth advisory and young farmer councils.

They said a young Tom often found himself wondering how he could make this rewarding work a full-time job while continuing to be involved with the community.

"I get a lot of joy from being able to assist and advocate for people, particularly those who aren't able to help themselves," Constable McGrath said.

Constable McGrath apparently still picks up his handpiece to help around the family farm, saying this is where his nine weeks of police leave comes in handy.

Four-years into the job, Tom's sheep shearing skills have come in handy, giving him the confidence to handle anything that comes his way, the recruiters said.

And while still early in his policing career, Tom's looking forward to returning to a regional location in a proactive policing role.

"The city is great for me at the moment because you have exposure to so many different incidents, but what I really love is the tight-knit community and the appreciation for your service" in regional areas."

His role in the recruitment campaign has been highlighted in a recent issue of Police Life magazine.

With a huge shortage of experienced shearers worldwide, Constable McGrath travelled around Australia and overseas for work, finding new jobs within minutes through social media groups.

And with the industry paying per sheep shorn, it's lucrative work for skilled shearers.

But with a strong interest in advocacy work and working towards "the betterment of society", he knew his true calling lay outside the farm gates.

"I asked myself, 'How can I do this rewarding work while getting paid?', and I thought 'Hey, I can join Victoria Police'.

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