SAPOL foreign recruit Probationary Constable Stephen Wallace reveals transition from UK to Australia

It was a chance family holiday to South Australia that first sparked Probationary Officer Stephen Wallace’s love for his new adopted country.

“When we came here (to South Australia), it really stuck in my memory,” he told NewsWire in an exclusive interview this week.

“I remember going to the supermarket when we came on holiday and people would come and notice his Scottish accent, he was really welcoming and really friendly. I absolutely loved it.”

Probationary Officer Wallace, 38, is one of hundreds of foreigners moving around the world to walk the Aussie’s path and help keep us safe.

In South Australia, 86 civil servants drawn from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada and New Zealand have taken up positions with SAPOL following a joint foreign recruitment drive to fill workforce shortages.

Nearly 200 positions are open to foreigners, and more recruitment is expected in 2026.

Probationary Constable Wallace moved from North Yorkshire with his wife and three children, aged 18, 14 and 8, in October last year.

“It was a big thought to take them (the children) away from their friends,” said the police officer, who was born and raised in Scotland.

“But I actually think it was probably an easy decision.”

He said the children had “settled in really well” and his eldest son had since joined a surf lifesaving club.

Prior to South Australia, Probationary Constable Wallace was a dog handler with the Canine Response Unit in England, working with a tracking dog and a trainee explosives dog.

When asked what he loved about policing, he emphasized the diverse nature of the job and the pleasure he took in “bringing criminals to justice.”

“No two days are the same,” he said.

“You come to work and you don’t know… one minute you’re on to a missing person (case), the next you’re on to a traffic accident, and then you’re on to more complex investigations where you can really sink your teeth into it.

“I love being able to help people in their time of need. I love the satisfaction of actually helping someone and bringing criminals to justice. I love the satisfaction of taking basically bad people away.”

He also said being a police officer is more than a career.

“Joining the police is not just a career, it is joining a family,” he said.

“It’s hard to explain it to someone who isn’t in the role, but they become your family and people you trust. I love this community.”

Australia and the UK share a language and an intertwined history, but Probationary Officer Wallace said there were still some culture shocks to overcome.

“Probably the biggest culture shock is having 40-degree sun on the beach on Christmas Day,” he said.

“We are used to wet, snow and cold, this was a big culture shock.”

But he said there was “no huge difference” in policing between Britain and Australia.

“I think policing is about policing everywhere you go. I think the policies and procedures have changed a little bit,” he said.

“North Yorkshire is such a rural area that it has a different crime trend.

“I think it’s the same here. If you’re closer to the city or closer to the suburbs, you’re probably dealing with different things.”

Probationary Officer Wallace noted that there were some differences between Australian and British people and their interaction with the police.

“I think the South Australian Police probably get a bit more respect,” he said.

“I think the police officers here are more willing to assist in investigations and give statements. They are friendly, there were no problems.

“Maybe it’s the sunshine. Everyone’s a little happier.”

Probationary Officer Wallace heads Adelaide’s Southern District.

He comes from a small town in south-west Scotland and speaks with a thick Scottish accent.

“Let me know if you need me to translate for you,” one of his fellow officers told NewsWire at the station.

A year later, Probationary Officer Wallace has no regrets about moving to the hot, dry world of South Australia.

“I’m still grateful for all of this. I still look out my window and see the sea and think, ‘I’m so lucky,'” he said.

“It’s great. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of it.”

He said he is here for the long term now and his family plans to become citizens.

“It’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made for both myself and my family,” he said.

“And anyone who wants to join the South Australian Police should definitely give it a go.

“From the moment I was hired, I was treated like part of the SAPOL family.

“I don’t know what I would do if I wasn’t a police officer.”