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Stephanie Abbott

from Hospitality Worker to Investigator - State Flying Squad
I travel around Queensland to investigate major crimes
Industry
Defence and Public Safety
Company
Queensland Police Service
Job Level
Mid
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Ask me about

  • How often I have to travel to crime scenes
  • Why every shift is different
  • How I discovered the police service was for me

About me

  • International Experience

I grew up in Northern Ireland not knowing what I wanted to do. When I finished school, I moved out of home to Glasgow University in Scotland and studied Psychology. After completing my Bachelor’s Degree, I realised it wasn’t the career I wanted. 

In 2013, I packed my bags and booked a solo one-way ticket to Australia. I fell in love with the outdoor, laid-back lifestyle and worked with horses for several years to get my permanent residency visa.  

After a few injuries, I knew it was time to change careers. I never saw myself as an “office job” person and after speaking with Queensland Police Service officers, I soon realised that was where I wanted to be. I got accepted into the academy in 2018 and have never looked back. I love the challenges of policing, the range of opportunities and having the support of my “blue family”.

About my role

  • Calm
  • Confident
  • Daring
  • Passionate
  • Reliable

The State Flying Squad (SFS) is an investigative unit of detectives in the Queensland Police. They form part of the Homicide Investigation Group and are based out of Queensland Police Headquarters in Brisbane City.

Their main role is to assist regions all over Queensland to investigate major and serious crimes or ongoing crime issues. This means there is a lot of travel within Queensland and a broad variety of jobs/investigations to work on – every shift is different. The investigations range from homicides to serious drug offences to Child Protection/Youth Justice and everything in between.

It’s a very rewarding role as they not only help victims, and the community, but also other police officers around the state.

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Education

  • Bachelor's Degree - Social Sciences
  • Diploma of Policing

Subjects

  • Biology
  • Business Studies
  • Food and Technology
  • Geography

Hobbies

  • Gym
  • Horse riding
  • Reading
  • Travel

Pets

  • 2 Dog

15 year old me!!

“You are more capable than you know. Have confidence in being yourself and don’t be afraid to make courageous decisions.”

My career journey

Curious to know how I got here? Here’s a snapshot of my career pathway.
  1. Studied Psychology at Glasgow University
  2. Moved overseas to Australia
  3. Worked training horses
  4. Got my Australian Permanent Residency
  5. Accepted into QPS and now working as an Investigator

My typical day

My employer

Every day the Queensland Police Service works tirelessly to ensure the safety and security of the community. The Service employs more than 15,000 Queenslanders and values diversity within its workforce to provide the best policing services to people who live, work and visit the State. As part of the Queensland Government, we are committed to building a diverse workforce that represents the community we serve.