New police station to be built at Helensburgh

NSW Minster for Police Troy Grant visited the Waratah Street site with Heathcote MP Lee Evans to make the announcement Friday morning.

“What [police] really need in order to be able to do their job is investment into their facilities,” Mr Grant said.

“You think, ‘why and how does an investment into a new police station help them keep crime down?’. It’s because it allows them to house the latest technology and equipment, it allows them to be more efficient and effective inside the station so they spend less time there and more time out on the street protecting the community.” 

Wollongong Police District Commander Superintendent Chris Craner will oversee design of the station and will work with the properties branch of NSW Police, area police and the community before work gets underway. 

A demountable building makes up part of the existing Helensburgh station, which has been deemed “not fit for purpose”. 

“The police don’t work [at Helensburgh station], that’s how bad it is,” Supt Craner said. “They do work out of Austinmer and they travel up and they work out of their car. 

“They love this area, they’re passionate about it and they deserve a new police station and they’ve got it.”

“The people I feel sorry for [are those at] police properties, because I’ll be ringing them every week, pretending this is my own house, and I’ll make sure this is built in a timely manner and that it fits the purposes of the cops in this area.” 

Supt Craner will seek input from Helensburgh residents at a community engagement meeting on August 8. 

The new station will not necessarily mean an increase to the police presence in Helensburgh. 

“I don’t want to make a decision [on staffing levels] because it’s a good one at the time. I want to make it because I’ve thought about it, it’s holistic and it’s into the future,” Supt Craner said.  

“The crime isn’t huge here at all because it’s a good area, there’s good community expectations, there’s good policing. 

“I often did argue with the community and I’d say to them, ‘why put a constable in the police station for 12 hours a day? I’d rather put them out on the road and just call us when you need us; we’ll come back’. 

“I often get back from the community – ‘it’s our point of safety. We have a police station there is a safe place for us to go to’.” 

Mr Evans welcomed Friday’s announcement. “This is the missing link in the area,” he said. “People drive past here and see basically a small shed for the police  and I’ve been fighting for years to make sure that the presence for not only the constables and the officers that have to be here and are looking after our community [but] that they have the proper facilities to be able to do so.”