Terry Hopley -Vic Police Leadership Mentoring Program

Terry Hopley  an Acting Inspector with the Victoria Police Force, and Gisborne Rotarian, was invited to speak at our lunch meeting by the chairman of the day, David Pisterman.   Terry’s  informal address and clearly stated  personal observations on policing issues were refreshing and thought provoking.

After a long career in the Police Force much of it in a covet capacity in operations Terry put in for the “Leadership Mentoring Program” .  One of its aims is to give senior police officers a different perspective of how things can be done (other than by methods which prevail in the Police Force), particularly in the business world.   So for a time Terry can interact with a Business Mentor and also with a Rotary Mentor- our RCH member David Pisterman is the latter.

Apart from learning of some very interesting explanations of his personal views of the various issues confronting the community in matters of law and order, we discovered a family man (married with 2 adult girls) who has spent 39 years as a policeman in Victoria in the city then the country and then the city again in a huge range of roles.    It appeared that there was not a town nor city in Victoria which Terry had not visited!

The covet focus in much of his past work perhaps explains why he is renowned as an authority on surveillance approaches.  His handbook on this subject is widely used in Australia.

The audience was not sure how the love of motor cycles fitted in, but he owned up to be a Harley Davidson fan who will participate in the Wall to Wall Ride for Remembrance to Canberra, and of past adventures in the outback on a Postie Bike (110cc?).

Dressed in the current uniform but sympathetic to the new one Terry fielded questions and lead the audience discussion on matters of parole, reoffending and drug problems.