Wollongong and Lake Illawarra will remain standalone police areas – but are to be known as districts rather than local area commands (LACs) – amid a major shake-up of the state’s police operations.
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NSW Police revealed on Thursday that 34 LACs in regional NSW would be replaced by 26 new police districts.
While the Wollongong and Lake Illawarra LAC boundaries remain unchanged, a merger will take place on the South Coast.
In the Shoalhaven, the LAC there will be consolidated with the Far South Coast LAC to form a new “South Coast Police District”.
The South Coast Police District will span an area from the southern edge of the Lake Illawarra zone to the Victorian border.
The new model, dubbed a re-engineering of the state’s police force, was announced by the NSW Police Commissioner, Mick Fuller, and Deputy Commissioner of Regional Field Operations, Gary Worboys.
“A large aspect of re-engineering is putting more police back on the frontline and a flexible workforce is a good outcome for regional communities,” Commissioner Fuller said.
“The new police district model has been designed to significantly improve our capability to service regional NSW.”
Deputy Commissioner Worboys said regional and rural communities wanted to know who their local police were, as well as who was in charge of their police station.
“We will see a return to the officer in charge model throughout regional police stations overseen by a Commander at the district office,” Deputy Commissioner Worboys said.
“This model allows for a more dynamic and flexible approach to investigations, proactive operations and focussing on important community issues like domestic and family violence and mid-level drug supply.
“Police who live and work in regional towns are often heavily involved in the local community. Their job is enhanced by being part of that community.”
The Orana Mid-Western Police District is the first of the new areas to begin next month.
The other districts will be progressively switched on during the coming months. All of them are expected to be rolled out by early next year.
NEW POLICE DISTRICTS
- Orana Mid-Western Police District (a consolidation of Orana and Mudgee LACs and including the policing sectors of Coonamble from Castlereagh LAC and Warren from Darling River LAC)
- Hunter Valley Police District (a consolidation of Hunter Valley LAC with the southern sectors of Central Hunter LAC)
- Port Stephens/Hunter Police District (a consolidation of Port Stephens LAC and the northern sectors of Central Hunter LAC)
- South Coast Police District (a consolidation of Shoalhaven and Far South Coast LACs)
- Riverina Police District (a consolidation of Wagga Wagga LAC and the southern sectors of Cootamundra LAC)
- The Hume Police District (a consolidation of The Hume LAC and the northern sectors of Cootamundra LAC)
- Oxley Police District (a consolidation of Oxley LAC and the southern sectors of Barwon LAC)
- New England Police District (a consolidation of New England LAC and the northern sectors of Barwon LAC)
- Central West Police District (a consolidation of Lachlan and Canobolas LACs – the Cowra and Canowindra policing sectors will move to Chifley PD)
- Central North Police District (a consolidation of Darling River LAC and the northern sectors of Castlereagh LAC)
- Murrumbidgee Police District (a consolidation of Griffith LAC and the Hay sector of Deniliquin LAC)
- Murray River Police District (a consolidation of Albury LAC and the southern sectors of Deniliquin LAC – the Balranald and Euston policing sectors will move to Barrier PD)
UNCHANGED AREAS (RENAMED POLICE DISTRICTS)
• Barrier *
• Brisbane Water
• Chifley ^
• Coffs / Clarence
• Lake Illawarra
• Lake Macquarie
• Manning / Great Lakes
• Mid North Coast
• Monaro
• Newcastle City
• Richmond
• Tuggerah Lakes
• Tweed / Byron
• Wollongong
* Balranald and Euston policing sectors will move to Barrier Police District
^ Cowra and Canowindra policing sectors will move to Chifley Police District
Andrew Pearson
Andrew grew up in the western Riverina town of Hay and has strong ties to the region. He is a former DA journo who has a passion for breaking news and has covered everything from council and politics to crime and court.
Andrew grew up in the western Riverina town of Hay and has strong ties to the region. He is a former DA journo who has a passion for breaking news and has covered everything from council and politics to crime and court.
