Sergeant Steve Armstrong-Ravula dedicates his Queensland Police Remote Service Medal to daughter Helena and wife Norma. Photo: Supplied.
An Aurukun sergeant who received the Queensland Police Remote Service Medal says a supportive family is the secret to his success as a community leader.
Sergeant Steve Armstrong-Ravula was presented with the award by Superintendent Monique Ralph and Inspector Dave Rutherford last Wednesday on National Police Remembrance Day when the community held a special ceremony to honour and remember lives lost in the line of duty.
The sergeant has been in the police force 14 years but has spent the last five on the Cape working stints in Kowanyama, Coen, and now Aurukun.
“I think it’s very important to have connections with the local community and it’s easier to do up this way,” he said.
“For me, the original goal was impact – we just wanted to make a positive impact.
“As soon as I came to Kowanyama, I knew my family and I could make a positive difference.”
Sgt Armstrong-Ravula, also manager at PCYC Aurukun, said he used his experience as a father to guide the young people of the community.
“I’ve got three kids – they’re all adults now. But two of them are professional sportsmen and it’s just about keeping them goal focused. I found I was able to transfer a lot of that across to the youth up here,” he said.
“When I first came up here, they didn’t know about setting goals. It was very short-term focused, which is quite refreshing to see, people not so worried about the future.
“They’re more about the now, but we’re also trying to teach them about long-term focus as well.”
He hoped skills such as goal-setting would help the young people, who didn’t get many opportunities growing up in a remote community.
“The opportunities and resources, compared to what I was able to raise my kids in… we had seven days a week of different sports on for our kids, whereas up here, it’s just the local hall,” he said.
“They’ve got the odds against them and I’m trying to balance it out a bit.”
Sgt Armstrong-Ravula dedicated the medal to his family members, also strong leaders in the community.
Wife Norma currently works with the Aurukun Shire Council and was previously the manager at the local PCYC. Daughter Helena is often seen as an inspiration by PCYC kids as a youth leader at the club.
“I dedicate this medal to my family who have been by my side the whole time when I worked general duties in Kowanyama, Coen, Mareeba, then Napranum PCYC and now the Aurukun PCYC in the last seven years,” he said.
“Our family has sacrificed a lot coming up this way, so a lot of that was to do with them. I said to them, this medal is pretty much for you as much as for me.”
Sergeant Steve Armstrong-Ravula (centre) accepts his remote policing award alongside police liaison officer (PLO) Jacqueline Keppel, Superintendent Monique Ralph, Inspector Dave Rutherford and PLO Chantelle Walmbeng. Photo: Supplied.
