New police officers have hit the beat across the region this week, with six probationary constables posted to Kempsey and four to Port Macquarie, while Lismore welcomed three new recruits of its own as police ranks swell.
Member for Oxley Michael Kemp welcomed the Mid North Coast’s new officers at Kempsey Police Station on Monday.
“Having more boots on the ground in Kempsey and Port Macquarie means greater visibility and more officers available to respond when our community needs them,” Mr Kemp said.
“It’s encouraging to see a large number of these new officers are locals to the Mid North Coast. That local knowledge and connection to the community is really valuable and helps build trust from day one.”
Mr Kemp said the officers would train in Kempsey and Port Macquarie but would ultimately give police greater capacity to patrol the wider Hastings and Nambucca valleys. He has also launched a community petition calling on the NSW Government to bring the PolAir-Remote Drone program to the Mid North Coast, pointing to a police drone trial in Moree credited with helping cut crime by around 50 per cent, assisting more than 100 arrests, and recovering 70 stolen vehicles.
In Lismore, three new probationary constables were welcomed to Lismore Police Station on Monday, part of eight recruits deployed across the Richmond Police District from Class 369, the largest attesting class in the NSW Police Force in 14 years.
Richmond Police District Commander Superintendent Dave Roptell APM welcomed the new officers, with electorate officer and former detective sergeant Ted Bassingthwaighte representing State Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin, who was in Sydney on ministerial business.
Ms Saffin said the Richmond Police District had now gained 60 new recruits since the Minns Labor Government came to office, part of a wider intake that also delivered new constables to the Tweed/Byron and New England police districts.
NSW Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said an additional recruit class would be added this year, lifting the intake from three classes to four annually.
The new officers were sworn in last Friday before starting 12 months of on-the-job training at their new home stations on Monday.
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