Coming full circle

Editorial: Cassandra Stanghi

Photography: Danielle Ford

The trip of a lifetime driving around Australia and following their fathers’ into policing careers aren’t the only things senior sergeants Mark Knight and Melanie Woods have in common.

The pair recently started as the station commanders at Lilydale Police Station, but their story starts 33 years ago, long before their policing careers did.

In 1988, Sen Sgt Knight was in his early 20s and working as a chef at the iconic Cuckoo restaurant in the Dandenong Ranges alongside much of Sen Sgt Woods’ family.

Their fathers also worked together as police officers in Croydon and they soon discovered a shared interest in four-wheel driving.

It wasn’t long before the families packed up their four-wheel drives and took off on a four-month trip around Australia, with incredible stops at Broken Hill, Alice Springs, Broome and Cape York to name a few.

“It was the trip of a lifetime. The places we visited and the times we had, they’re the most wonderful memories and I still get such a thrill talking about it,” Sen Sgt Knight said.

While Sen Sgt Woods was only four years old at the time, she still has distinct memories of a Cabbage Patch Kids cassette tape being played on repeat in her parents’ car.

“I still have the tape and remember all the words so it must’ve had a few runs,” Sen Sgt Woods said.

“Having young kids of my own now, I don’t know how my parents coped.”

In 1989, shortly after their trip ended, Sen Sgt Knight joined Victoria Police, marking the beginning of a decades-long career in the force.

He moved through varied areas and specialist roles, including suburban and rural police stations in the state’s east, crime investigation units, the Dog Squad and the Victoria Police Academy.

Fast forward to 2006 and a 22-year-old Sen Sgt Woods joined the force with ambitions to carry on a family tradition.

“I always wanted to join and to follow in my dad’s footsteps, so I was really happy to get in,” Sen Sgt Woods said.

Sen Sgt Woods’ career to-date has seen her work in frontline roles across the Southern Metro and Eastern Regions, including as the first gazetted female sergeant at Knox Police Station, as well as detective roles investigating sexual offences, child abuse and other local crime.

Having not seen each other for several years, a pivotal moment for the pair came in 2008 when they bumped into each other at the Academy where Sen Sgt Knight was attending a training course.

“I had to check the name badge but said hello and that was the start of our working relationship and friendship,” Sen Sgt Woods said.

Over the next few years, the officers crossed paths at jobs while they were working at different stations in the same area and would drop in for a chat or some scones whenever they found themselves nearby.

In December 2021, the pair came full circle and landed as station commanders at Lilydale Police Station in the Yarra Ranges, an area close to both of their hearts.

“I worked at Monbulk Police Station for eight years and I live in the area with my family, so I was already involved in the community through sports clubs and the like,” Sen Sgt Knight said.

“Having that connection to the area is such a help in this job.”

Sen Sgt Woods agreed, with roots of her own in the Lilydale community.

“I was born at the Lilydale Bush Hospital, went to the local high school and now I’m raising my own family out here too,” Sen Sgt Woods said.

“It’s nice to be helping the community I know so well.”

Now just over four months into their new roles, the two officers have hit their stride running the station together, with strong ambitions to help their members be the best they can and best serve the local community.

While both Sen Sgt Knight and Sen Sgt Woods are heavily involved in the day-to-day operations of the station, the unique skills learned from their most recent experiences as station commanders at Monbulk and Knox respectively are proving to be worth their weight in gold.

Sen Sgt Woods has taken a strong interest in creating a supportive culture and fostering member welfare, while Sen Sgt Knight makes use of his strong emergency management background as the Municipal Emergency Response Coordinator for the Yarra Ranges area.

“We both have our different strengths and we complement each other really well,” Sen Sgt Knight said.

With almost 50 years of policing experience between them, the new station commanders consider their friendship to be among their greatest assets.

“Because of our long history, we already had a lot of respect for each other,” Sen Sgt Woods said.

“There was no need to break the ice; we already knew what one another was all about.

“We can be honest with each other and while we might not always agree on everything, we talk things through and back each other,” Sen Sgt Knight said.

The pair have shared a lot through their 33-year history, but now they’re happy to be sharing an office wall.