Community & Business
7 August, 2025
New Sergeant’s community focus
Coming from a town up north of just a few hundred, new Sergeant of Clifton Police Vanessa Rudloff is hoping to continue to grow the connection between the Clifton community and those who are sworn to protect it.
Sergeant Rudloff has served in the Queensland Police Service for 17 years, working everywhere from the glitz and glamour of the Gold Coast to the hot, dusty outback near Mount Isa.
“I’m very excited to see what I can bring to the community,” Sgt Rudloff said.
“My goal is to keep the good community policing connection going.”
The appeal of working in a small town, as well as being closer to her parents, was what pushed Sgt Rudloff towards accepting the position as Clifton’s officer-in-charge.
Her first day on the job was on Tuesday, 29 July, however she did fill in as Acting Sergeant for a few weeks in late April and early May.
“I fell in love with the community,” she said.
Sgt Rudloff has moved to town with her soon-to-be husband and dogs.
Clifton Police Station had been without a permanent Sergeant for close to ten months following the retirement of Bruce Willett in October last year.
Senior Constable Tyson Morris, who has now been posted at Clifton Station for close to a decade, is continuing in his role.
“I’m looking forward to working with Tyson,” Sgt Rudloff said.
“Everyone in the community speaks really highly of him.”
Sgt Rudloff grew up in Blacktown, in Sydney’s west and worked as a chef after moving to Queensland.
She had a massive change of heart and with the support of her parents, joined the police and has loved it ever since.
She started her career on the Gold Coast at Broadbeach, then worked at Hervey Bay and then in the Mount Isa District, where she worked for five years.
There she was the Sergeant for the tiny, largely indigenous division of Dajarra, with a population of only 400 in the entire division.
The Clifton division, incorporating the township of Nobby and outlying areas such as Pilton and Sandy Camp, has a population of roughly 3,000 people.
“In a small community you have the ability to connect with people more,” she said.
Sgt Rudloff said while Dajarra is a very different community, she hopes to bring the style of policing that worked well there to Clifton.
She said in her time at Dajarra there was a reduction in violent crimes and domestic violence as well as increased faith and trust in the police.
Areas that are first and foremost front of mind are community safety and road safety, following a few incidents in recent weeks and months.
Sgt Rudloff said she is looking forward to being able get out in the community, both on the beat and in her free time.
“I’ll be making myself known to the community,” she said.
“I’m more than happy to talk to people.”
She is looking forward to seeing what the public’s expectations are regarding policing and community safety.
