On Monday, June 9 he was named on the King’s Birthday honours list, receiving an Australian Police Medal for distinguished service as a member of the Australian Police Force.
“I got a note to say I’d been nominated and asking if I’d accept it,” Supt Barras said.
“I was honoured to say yes. I’ve got a bit of an idea who nominated me.
“I’m not sure if I’m supposed to know. But if I’m correct, it is a very junior person in our organisation, which is extremely humbling.”
Supt Barras said after growing up in Benalla, he returned at the start of his career in Victoria Police.
“I spent probably six months (in Benalla) training, from around October ’89 through early, early 1990.”
Supt Barras has performed 36 years of dedicated and diligent service to the Victorian community.
During this time, he has contributed to a range of policing areas, including general duties, liquor licensing, emergency management, training and public order.
He has managed many key projects, including the organisational response to the Melbourne remand centre riots and a high-profile public order capability uplift following the 2017 Moomba riots.
Supt Barras is dedicated to his role and works tirelessly to enable capabilities that are focused on positive outcomes for the Victorian community.
He currently leads the Continuous Learning Division, where he leads critical training charged with the primary intent of developing and enhancing leadership capability across the organisation.
Supt Barras has had significant impact in almost all his roles and is a nationally recognised expert in the areas of search and rescue, and emergency management.
In the 2022 Victorian floods, he led the statewide rescue capability, which resulted in 989 rescues, with no recorded fatalities, being performed during the event.
The approach he brings to working with partner agencies has earned him a reputation across the public sector as a collaborative leader who is proactive at breaking down barriers to achieve positive community outcomes.
In addition to his significant workload, he actively engages in mentoring members to support them in achieving career goals and developing them as future leaders of Victoria Police.
When not working, he volunteers his time in the Alpine community as a long-time dedicated member of the ski patrol.
Supt Barras is a valued and respected public sector leader with a focus on the people he serves.
His work ethic, collaborative efforts and ability to influence those around him to achieve positive results in often challenging environments that enhance the reputation of Victoria Police is commendable.
Supt Barras said he recommended others, growing up in Benalla, considered a career in Victoria Police.
“Victoria Police offers so many different pathways within one career, and that’s the key,” he said.
“You can join the organisation and at one minute be driving a divisional van and two years later be driving a highway patrol vehicle.
“Five years later you could be working at the search and rescue squad, recovering people from the Alpine area, which was a large part of my career.
“Or you can be working at forensics or as an observer in the helicopter.
“There are just so many different opportunities and pathways for anybody that joins Victoria Police.
“And particularly now we are recruiting, we’re about to go back to double squads.
“There are opportunities like there’s never been before, so I would strongly encourage anybody.”
10°C