THE LOCAL branch of the NSW Police Association already has more than 230 letters in hand from local community members calling for more police and with their branch meeting set for 18 April there is time for more.
“Don Schieb has done most of the legwork on this,” said Branch representative Fiona Ozols. “He has been encouraging the community to have their say and put in letters for us to take to our April meeting which will be held here in Coonamble.”
Ms Ozols says that the branch meeting will consider a draft submission which includes a request for Coonamble to be made a Special Remote station and a request for five extra police positions to be added to the station over the next five years.
“Hopefully the branch members will endorse the submission so that we can push it up through the chain of command,” Ms Ozols said.
The current chain of command includes David Maher, Officer in Charge of Coonamble, District Commander Peter McKenna and Area Commander for Western Region Geoff McKechnie, all of whom are on the record as supporting Special Remote status for Coonamble.
“This is the first time in many years we’ve had good support from the Police hierarchy,” Don Schieb said.
“And we do have support from our new local member for Barwon Mr Roy Butler,” Ms Ozols said.
Once approved at the local level, the proposal would then be put to the Deputy Commissioner for Regional NSW Gary Worboys and, if appropriate, NSW Police Commissioner Michael Fuller.
“The changes would have to come from existing Police funding,” Ms Ozols said. “So we go to Police first and if we don’t get the desired result we have other avenues to try.”
“I don’t think we’re being unrealistic,” she said.
“Police in Coonamble are generally busier with a higher workload per head that any of the police stations in our district.”The workload comes from ongoing difficulties in keeping vacancies filled, which Ms Ozols believes then contributes to a cycle where burnout becomes an issue for officers trying to keep on top of their duties.
“It also means there’s little time for proactive police work that requires a lot more time and research, like compiling evidence for drug supply prosecutions,” she said.
“We just need more police on the ground.”
Don Schieb has been actively campaigning for more police for well over a decade and says the district is now in the best position so far for getting a positive result.
“The community needs to step up and support their local police,” Mr Schieb said.
“A lot of older residents have submitted letters,” he said. “And young people who are looking for the town to move forward have also provided some very good comments.”
An online poll being conducted by the Coonamble Times attracted 70 responses in nine days and the 230+ letters and emails collected by the Police Association were received in less than two weeks,
“This means that at least 10% of the whole district’s adult population has already put their views into writing for the NSW Police to consider,” Mr Schieb said.
“I’m pleased with the result so far and we’re still hoping for more letters,” Mr Schieb said. “We have until about the 16th of April to get letters and emails to the Police Association’s branch meeting.”
Forms are available at Murtech, Coonamble Times and Global Village until 17 April or go to the Times facebook page.
