Leading Senior Constable Nick Parissis from North Melbourne police station was awarded the Police and Community Multicultural Advisory Committee Multicultural Award for 2013. Constable Parissis, alongside the joint winner Greater Dandenong’s Sergeant Joey Herrech, was recognised for his work within the North Melbourne multicultural community and particularly young people.
Community Liaison Officer Nick Parissis works for North Melbourne police station, responsible for looking after the Carlton, Parkville, North Melbourne and Kensington suburbs. Working with young people, multicultural, residents and business groups as well as international students is his job description.
In a career he dedicates to directing youth and multicultural communities to the ‘right side of the law’, Nick Parissis says his role is building connections between the community and the police.
He is devoted to breaking the stereotype that his profession often carries in the eyes of multicultural communities’ members, due to the reputation the police force has in their countries of origin.
“A lot of the multicultural communities that we have in Carlton, North Melbourne and Kensington, and a large Horn of Africa population, have historically been afraid of the police. And you can’t blame them – the only idea they had of police is from their own country.
“It’s about breaking down preconceived ideas about who the police are and what they do. A lot of my role is just trying to convince them that the police here in Victoria are very different to what they were used to, and that we are approachable – if they have any issues they need to be able to trust the police,” Constable Parissis tells Neos Kosmos.
In his attempt to do so, Nick Parissis has set up numerous youth development initiatives, including youth camps and leadership programs. He is also a regular local cop at University of Melbourne campus, to deliver safety talks and connect with student groups – including explaining to newly arrived international students how a hook turn works. With his colleagues from North Melbourne police, he joins homework clubs in local schools and organises camping weekends with police. But the trust wasn’t always there.
“The first time we tried to take kids for a weekend away with police, several years ago at Carlton Primary School that has about 96 per cent Horn of Africa students, we got one student to go, who wasn’t African. The parents were just petrified to let their kids somewhere with police. We kept pushing it – next year we got 11 students.”
In trying to make himself more approachable for different groups, Constable Parissis says his appearance also plays a role.
“My usual uniform is a police polo top and shorts or normal pants. It’s much less confronting than it is if they meet me for the first time and I’m in the full uniform – they don’t want to open up.
“I want people to know that they can not only approach myself, but also other police members.”
For a 41-year-old who joined Victoria Police straight from high school, 23 years ago, it is community youth liaison work he has been doing for the last 12 years that he finds most rewarding.
“Instead of responding to the crime and other issues, I am hoping to stop a lot of it before it happens. That’s the aim – trying to stop young people and members of multicultural communities going down the wrong path.”
And to show that local cops are not only there to give you an offence ticket – Constable Parissis has played a fundamental role in leading the annual Christmas Toy and Food Drive, for disadvantaged children and young adults, now in its 11th year.
“We get a local community to donate toys and food that we pass on to three local agencies that help people in need. It’s a way for the community to see police in a different light, to show them that we are not just about issuing tickets and putting the bad guys away – it’s about trying to help.”
The award for the modest Greek Australian came as a bit of a surprise. For him this is an award for all the members of the North Melbourne police he works with.
“Our tool and our best weapon is not a gun – it’s communication skills, being able to get your message across. It’s all about communication, patience and empathy,” he says.