Having risen through the academy’s ranks himself in 1994, before returning to the facility to teach in 2012, Sergeant Adams acknowledges that   today’s recruits are more prepared than ever before for what lies ahead.

‘‘(The academy) was very militaristic back then,’’ he said.

‘‘Not many people entered the police with a university degree, but now we have a very close alignment with UTAS.’’

A renewed focus on police education in recent years has seen many officers graduate from the academy with degrees, while many more go on to study at university following their graduation, Sergeant Adams said.

The emphasis on education has also breathed greater acceptance into police ranks.

‘‘There’s a lot more diversity now,’’ Sergeant Adams said.

‘‘Every one of our recruits brings something different to the course. There’s certainly been a shift towards acceptance and equality here. I began to notice it in the late 90s and early 2000s.

‘‘Today, we definitely put that into practice here too.’’

Upcoming officers are put through a series of 22 challenging education modules during their seven-month stay in Rokeby.

The training includes standard lessons in policing  such as the  different use of force option, including firearm training and defensive driving, but it also covers report writing and building a rapport with the community, among other skills.

One core foundation of the facility that has never wavered, however, is health.

Fitness remains one of the most fundamental components of officer training in Tasmania.

A 6am personal training session is put on by staff five days a week – an academy staple that is sometimes still attended by Tasmania Police Commissioner Darren Hine.

‘‘The challenges at the academy haven’t changed,’’ Sergeant Adams said.

‘‘These guys today probably have it a lot harder than I did. The workload certainly wasn’t as big back then.’’