Now Wollongong's new commander, Superintendent Evan Quarmby has traded dust bowls for coastal waters and he has brought his tough stance on drugs with him.

Supt Quarmby, who came from Murray River police command three weeks ago, is a community cop through and through.

To him, his job is keeping residents safe.

The 32-year police veteran will do that by taking away "poisonous" drugs, reducing the road toll, having programs for youth and serving justice on criminals.

"I've been involved in some significant drug arrests for huge-scale plantations and methylamphetamine labs," Supt Quarmby said.

"It has been really rewarding as that is the poison people are pedaling to our kids and into the community, and I see the destruction it causes."

One such arrest turned into a positive for the community.

"I was involved in disassembling a methylamphetamine lab at Goulburn in 2013 where we recovered Thomas the Tank Engine from the lab," Supt Quarmby said.

"Thomas, a piece of playground equipment, had been lost to a flood three years earlier.

"It was last seen floating down the river and it disappeared.

"Everyone always wondered what happened to him.

"It was the greatest mystery in Goulburn for a long time until we disassembled the lab and there he was in the back garage.

"We were able to do the serious job in taking drugs off the street but the real positive was being able to bring Thomas back to the community."

Supt Quarmby said he was "very much a community police officer", which came from his family values.

"I come from an old-fashioned country family and we have country beliefs," he said.

"We believe in being capable in everything we do, having high integrity, and discipline is important in any family.

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"But above all, good-old fashioned common sense.

"Whenever we are smart enough to use common sense, then usually we can work our way through any problem."

Supt Quarmby joined the NSW Police Force in July 1988 because he wanted to help people and make a difference in the community.

He was initially stationed in Macquarie Fields performing general duties.

The commander spent the next eight years in general duties in remote parts of the western NSW, including at Queanbeyan where he became Sergeant in 2003. Then he was promoted to Inspector in 2007 while at The Hume police district.

He took the reigns as commander at Murray River Police District in 2016, and has been an emergency controller for more than 20 years.

"Being able to help communities back from emergency situations like bushfires and floods, where the community cries out for leadership and engagement has been a real positive for me," Supt Quarmby said.

"Over my career, a lot of which has been in country communities out west, where often times are tough and the environment is even tougher, being part of those communities and enjoying the highs and lows with residents has been really rewarding."

Supt Quarmby said he enjoyed not knowing what the next day would bring at work.

"We see the very best of what people have to offer and unfortunately, we certainly see the very worst, and everything in-between," he said.

"The greatest challenge and what I have enjoyed most in my career is being able to adapt to different situations.

"One minute I'd be at a tragedy and the next I'd be at something really positive.

"It has been a good life for me.

"I have had some tragedies and significant injuries but I have always come back for more because it is a rewarding job.

"Yes it is has its downside, and yes it has got its very, very dark moments but the good far outweighs the bad over nearly 32 years of policing."

Supt Quarmby said he had enjoyed being able to put the bad guys behind bars and get justice for victims.

But he knows the toll the job can take on his troops.

"Policing is a tough job and we are very lucky we have tough people doing it," Supt Quarmby said.

"I admire police officers as they go out into the field in this modern environment.

"With the challenges they face, they truly are extraordinary people doing and extraordinary job.

"With my background, having been injured myself, makes their safety my number one priority."

With that comes looking after his officers' mental and physical wellbeing.

"It is my responsibility, as commander, to look after them as best I can by making sure they feel valued as employees," Supt Quarmby said. "Making sure the community is aware of the work is also key."

The commander said he had hit the jackpot when he got the Wollongong position.

"I have had to come to terms with seeing water that is blue," he said. "Where I am from, water is brown or non-existent. I am really thankful to see it. It is a great spot here."

Supt Quarmby said the community and police officers had welcomed him and he had already had productive meetings with local and state government as well as community organisations.

He said he was thankful to have senior and dedicated police officers in the command who were committed to the community, and looked forward to moulding and guiding new recruits.

"The work here deals with the same issues including community safety, drugs and domestic violence, all of which will remain a focus of mine," he said.

"That is a focus I have brought with me from my previous command. I will target people who supply and manufacture drugs.

"I also have a highway patrol background so road safety is very important to me. One death on our roads is one death too many and we will do whatever we can to reduce the road death toll."

Supt Quarmby said "mutual responsibility" was key and asked residents to help police by removing valuables from their cars, and lock their vehicles and homes in an effort to reduce property theft.

He said preventing crimes, disrupting criminals and providing an appropriate and professional response to the community, especially by supporting victims, was his mission.