Statistics in every major crime category continue to fall, with new Orana Mid-Western Police District Commander, Superintendent Peter McKenna, declaring the transition to the new model of policing a success.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Six weeks into the transition, high-visibility and proactive patrols, search warrants and drug dog operations have resulted 261 arrests and more than 600 charges being laid since December 10.
Much had been made about the re-engineering of the NSW Police Force prior to the transition, but Supt McKenna said he is proud of the way his troops have adjusted and the results they are achieving.
“We have been dealing with the whole gamut of crime, with everything from anti-social behaviour, domestic violence, drug and property offences through to murder,” he said.
“While we are still doing the same reactive work we have always done, we are now pushing harder than over on being proactive, working as a team and taking firm action when it is required.
“We are catching criminals who would otherwise be breaking into houses or vehicles, either before they get the chance to, or in the act.
“We have executed 12 search warrants on premises in the past six weeks and our drug detections have increased with 16 charges in the past six weeks.”
Orana Mid-Western is the first of the new districts to be rolled out, with many more to follow as the re-engineering contrinues.
And locally, the changes will continue with more resources on the way.
“There is still a lot of work to be done, and we have only begun to use the new District to its best advantage and make a difference to crime,” Supt McKenna said.
“The commissioner has provided us with even more police officers, who will come online shortly and which we will be placing into proactive ‘Flying Squad’ teams to continue to drive our whole-of-district approach to crime.
“In its current form our District now services 22 police sectors. Orana and Mudgee LACs have been consolidated and we have also taken in Coonamble, Gulargambone and Warren.