Faces of PVV | Meet Police Veteran Simon Kelly

“There is a life after the job, and the quality of that life depends on you.”

Simon Kelley’s policing career was never part of a carefully mapped plan. Like many, it began with a nudge from friends and a willingness to give something new a go.

“I was 20 and clueless and I needed a job,” Simon says. “I was in the Army Reserve Infantry at the time, and a bunch of my mates were in the job and they suggested I should join. I thought I would do that for a couple of years and then find something else. Twenty two years it took me to find something else.”

Simon spent nine years across General Duties, serving at Russell Street, Richmond, Pakenham, Knox and briefly at D24 before it closed. Richmond remains a standout for him. He later moved into Prosecutions before taking on one of the most defining chapters of his career through the International Deployment Group.

“The absolute highlight for me was my time in East Timor,” Simon says. “I went from being a lowly Leading Senior Constable in a suburban prosecutions office to being the officer in charge of a remote region in the middle of Timor Leste, with forty odd staff from all over the world and responsibility for the safety of another fifty odd UN personnel. I loved it.”

Following twelve months in East Timor and a further four months in the Solomon Islands, Simon returned to Australia, spending time in Highway Patrol before ultimately deciding to leave Victoria Police.

“When I came back to Australia, I realised I was never going to get those opportunities again,” he reflects. “Even if I rose dramatically in the ranks, which I had no desire to do, I would still not have the freedom to effect change in the way I did in East Timor. So I figured, time to move on.”

Since leaving the force, Simon’s life has taken a very different path. He worked with the Department of Transport while completing his studies, undertook contract investigation work with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, and secured his first legal role at the Victorian Government Solicitor’s Office. From there, he moved to a community legal service, a role he loved deeply.

“It was an awesome job,” Simon says. “Appalling pay, but I loved it. I was developing anti elder abuse programs and getting out and talking to all sorts of interesting people in the community.”Eventually, Simon went to the Bar, where he has found his professional home.

“I haven’t looked back,” he says. “Best job in the world.”

Today, Simon speaks with pride about his policing service and what it continues to represent.

“I am proud of my service. I certainly don’t regret being in the police,” he says. “I’m not saying I loved every minute, but it was a fantastic job. Being a veteran gives me connections to a whole bunch of people who have been in the job. You would be surprised how many coppers are now barristers or working in fields that have no crime connections.”

For Simon, organisations like Police Veterans Victoria play a vital role in helping veterans see beyond the end of their policing career.

“I would like to think it sends a message that it isn’t all doom and gloom when you leave the police force,” he says.

“The job isn’t broken and your life isn’t over, even if you have dealt with some pretty horrendous stuff. PVV can hopefully be a bit of a beacon of hope for people who might otherwise wallow in bitterness.”

His message to other veterans and serving members is clear and grounded in lived experience.

“There is a life after the job,” Simon says. “The quality of that life depends on you and the people you surround yourself with.”

Simon’s story is a reminder; that service can open doors to unexpected paths, and that growth, purpose and fulfilment certainly don’t end when one chapter closes.