For Victoria Police officers Craig and Tarryn McDonald, it’s a case of like father, like daughter.
Leading Senior Constable Craig McDonald has been a policeman for 30 years and he couldn’t be prouder of his 27-year-old daughter Tarryn, who joined the force five years ago.
For Tarryn, a Senior Constable, joining the force was the realisation of a childhood ambition.
“I always wanted to join the force, I liked what police did for the community and I wanted to be a part of it,” she said.
At the moment, Senior Constable McDonald is based at a police station in the south-eastern suburbs.
Her dad, 54, serves as the crime prevention officer for Melbourne’s northwest metropolitan area which includes Wyndham and Maribyrnong.
Leading Senior Constable McDonald remembers taking his daughter to school and giving talks on safety.
“He used to drive me to school in the police car and put the sirens on,” Senior Constable McDonald said. “It was so embarrassing.”
Both said they enjoyed the fact that working as police meant every day was different.
While Senior Constable McDonald responds to triple-0 call-outs, her father deals with businesses and people who are victims of crime, including people caught in family violence.
“There are some people you get a real pleasure out of helping, if you can,” he said.
He said that after his experience in the police force, he sometimes felt concerned about what his daughter might encounter while at work.
“I do worry – I know she’s street smart and she’s done the training, but I still worry,” he said.
