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A worldwide trailblazer
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Editorial: Danielle Ford
Photography: Jesse Wray-McCann
There's a good reason Detective Senior Sergeant Joy Murphy knows the world is a different place to what it was almost 50 years ago when she first joined Victoria Police - she helped changed it.
With 47 years of policing under her belt, Det Sen Sgt Murphy is recognised by the International Association of Women in Policing as the titleholder of the longest-serving female police officer in the world.
In her nearly five decades of service, the detective has not only seen a wealth of changes within the policing environment, but she’s also been at the forefront of some of them.
A staunch advocate for the advancement of women in policing and the broader community, she was the first female in Victoria Police to be appointed as officer-in-charge of a crime squad when given the top position in the Sexual Offences Squad in 1987.
During her nearly 50-year career, Det Sen Sgt Joy Murphy has been at the forefront of significant changes to policing, both within the organisation and the community.
“Back when I joined, women didn’t lead many teams and certainly not a crime team, so it was a big thing for me to get that role,” Det Sen Sgt Murphy said.
It’s great to now be in a place where a female officer-in-charge is nothing out of the ordinary and we’ve got women in leadership positions right up the ranks.
While ground-breaking for women in the organisation, the appointment to the top of the Sexual Offences Squad wasn’t a surprising career move for the detective who has dedicated her career to helping victims of sexual assault and family violence.
“I was exposed to this field of policing very early on in my career because, at the time, policewomen were responsible for child protection investigations, the welfare of women and children and taking reports of sexual assaults,” Det Sen Sgt Murphy said.
“I quickly became very passionate about these areas and knew I wanted to be a part of helping these women and children and making the reporting and investigation process better for them.”
With her decades of experience in these areas, Det Sen Sgt Murphy has made a name for herself as an expert in the family violence and sexual assault investigation fields, having represented Victoria Police on several panels and committees dedicated to improving policing in these areas.
“The thing I enjoy about sexual assault and family violence investigation is that if you do it well, you can have a huge impact on the lives of the victims and you can make a terrible situation a little easier and a little less stressful,” she said.
Today, Det Sen Sgt Murphy manages the North West Metro Division 5 (ND5) Sex Offender Registry administration and community engagement team.
In this role, Det Sen Sgt Murphy oversees the proactive monitoring and management of offenders in the area on the Sex Offender Registry.
Today, Det Sen Sgt Murphy manages the ND5 Sex Offender Registry administration and community engagement team.
“Our role is to check in with these offenders to ensure they are sticking to the requirements that have been placed on them as part of their release,” she said.
“By doing this, we are helping to reduce the likelihood of them reoffending, which can help reduce the number of sexual offences needing to be investigated by our Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Teams (SOCITs) in the division.”
SOCITs were first formed in 2009 as dedicated, specialist teams that respond to and investigate serious reports of child abuse and sexual offences.
Det Sen Sgt Murphy said the Sex Offender Registry team works closely with SOCITs in ND5 and she noted the development of SOCITs and dedicated Family Violence Investigation Units as one of the most significant changes to policing she has witnessed in her time.
“There have been great advancements to technology and equipment but, for me, how Victoria Police has evolved to better address sexual assault and family violence offences is the greatest achievement,” she said.
“These types of crimes are unfortunately so prevalent in our community and the importance of having expert teams who are highly-skilled in these areas is vitally important to ensuring we best serve and support victims.”
In recognition of her 47 years of being an advocate for changes within the ranks and within the family violence and sexual assault investigation fields, Det Sen Sgt Murphy was recently inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women under the trailblazer category.
The honour, awarded by the Victorian Government, is given to inspiring role models who effectively lead the way for women starting out in a field which is traditionally maledominated and help break new ground in their line of work by challenging traditional gender stereotypes, attitudes and norms.
Det Sen Sgt Murphy pictured with her mother at her graduation from the Victoria Police Academy.
Det Sen Sgt Murphy said while it’s a huge personal honour, the recognition honours all the advancements made for women in policing over the past 50 years.
“I see it as recognition for all women in policing and of how far we’ve come,” she said.
“I started in a force that had only about 200 female police officers, with very few, if any, in leadership positions.
Now I work alongside about 5,000 female police, who work across all ranks and fields.
“I was chosen for the honour because I’ve been a vocal advocate over the years, which has allowed women today to reap the rewards of people like me who have been tireless advocates for changes within the organisation.
“The art and values of policing are still the same, to serve the community. But how we do that has advanced in so many ways.”
