“As an Aboriginal person the word belonging is what grounds us. Belonging to country, belonging to family, belonging to community is huge.” Community has always been a big part of policing and one of the reasons proud Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung and Ngurai Illum Wurrung woman, Sergeant Mel Peters joined Victoria Police. For 25 years, Mel has worked with community members right across Victoria to build, repair and maintain relationships and connections with people from across the community. In her roles as a Police Aboriginal Liaison Officer (PALO) and Multicultural Liaison Officer (MLO), and in her local Proactive Policing Unit, she has been able to work closely with her local community, helping them overcome challenges, adjust to new environments, and rebuild trust with local authorities. A process that is often slow, but extremely rewarding. “Everyone just thinks we are about catching crooks and dealing with crime, but that’s probably about 10% of what we do. We are abou...