General News
4 August, 2026
New Minyip officer puts community first
Leading Senior Constable Mick Ryan is prioritising establishing strong community connections as Minyip’s new police officer. Transferring from the Murtoa Police Station, he notes the similarities between the two towns in the importance of the relationship between the community and its local police member.
Leading Senior Constable Mick Ryan is prioritising establishing strong community connections as Minyip’s new police officer.
Transferring from the Murtoa Police Station, he notes the similarities between the two towns in the importance of the relationship between the community and its local police member.
“After working at Murtoa, I understand that the community takes a while for them to get to trust a new person in town, even if it is a policeman that they can approach them and have the confidence that we’ll do stuff for them,” he said.
“For me to gain the trust of the locals would be good, and that they can feel confident to come and approach me and talk to me about any issues they have.”
LSC Ryan says he is looking forward to getting involved in the local community.
“I’ve met up with a lot of shopkeepers, people from the (Minyip) Progress Committee, and I’ve met up with people from the mines.
“Understanding what the community issues are and what they want from a local policeman, and what I can do to help them, and just generally being out there amongst them so people can feel like I'm approachable.”
“Everyone's been very welcoming since I've been here,” he added.
A local to Horsham, LSC Ryan first joined Victoria Police in 2001, working in Melbourne before returning to Horsham in 2004 and joining the Highway Patrol.
“Road safety is something I take seriously, and I hope to bring those attributes to the township of Minyip,” he said.
LSC Ryan served with the Highway Patrol for 20 years before transferring to Murtoa, where he worked for two years.
“Murtoa was a good way to get back into community policing,” he said.
“Obviously those little towns are a bit quieter, and you become more involved in the community and get to know a lot of the people.”
LSC Ryan’s first week in Minyip has been marked by the theft of the beloved ‘JJ the Pig’ statue from outside Minyip Meats.
“It's been on an adventure once before; two of the locals took it to Adelaide,” LSC Ryan said.
“Everyone knows about this pig from outside the butcher; it's part of the community.
“It’s all these little things that make the identity of the town.”
LSC Ryan has been a member of Victoria Police for 25 years, and notes that transferring to a single-member station is “the next change again.”
“I’ve got to learn a bit more of the admin side of running a station,” he said.
“I’m in charge of looking after the cleaning of the station and the gardens at the station.
“It's a new challenge in itself, which I'm looking forward to.”