The new Murrumbidgee Police District (PD) is now operational, with the change from Griffith Local Area Command (LAC) occuring on Monday.
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However as the change over takes effect across the state, long-standing issues with prisoner transport are being scrutinised.
The new police district uses an Officer In Charge model, with changes made to previous Duty Officer roles in the Local Area Command.
Superintendent Michael Rowan remains commander of the District, and is looking forward to building ongoing relationships within the community under the new model.
“At this stage obviously the geographic footprint of the command has increased with the incorporation of Hay Local Government Area, and that includes six police resources from Hay,” Commander Rowan said.
“Going forward it will be about relationships within the community, ensuring that policing outcomes area commensurate with community expectations, and following up, reinforcing and expanding on our current model of proactive policing to include Hay.”
Chief Inspector John Wadsworth is now Officer In Charge of Leeton, Inspector Nick Seddon is now Officer in Charge of Griffith, Inspector McLaughlan will be in charge of area sectors including Hay, Carrathool and West Wyalong and Inspector Kim Traynor is now District Inspector.
In the lead up to the change over from LAC to PD, NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said a large aspect of re-engineering would put more police back on the frontline.
Prisoner Transport
Claims regional cops are being dragged from frontline work to spend whole shifts transporting prisoners to corrective services, leaving their towns severely vulnerable, is anything but the “boots on the ground” the re-engineering promised.
“Currently it is part of the NSW Police function of Murrumbidgee PD to transport prisoners from custody stations to corrective services at Junee and/or Wagga, as well as the juvenile detention centre at Wagga,” Commander Rowan said.
This round trip for Murrumbidgee officers could use up to six hours of a shift.
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The Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) has ordered Conciliation between the NSW Police Force and Police Association NSW under their direction to resolve long-standing issues with prisoner transportation in NSW.
“At the present moment it is something we will work through with the Police Association and the NSW Police to make sure we get the appropriate outcomes for the people of our district,” Commander Rowan said.