The top cop investigating stolen livestock across the country has been recognised for his work as part of the King's birthday honours.
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Detective Chief Inspector Cameron Whiteside, the State Rural Crime Coordinator, is set to receive an Australian Police Medal for his work.
Detective Chief Inspector Whiteside has been with the NSW Police Force for 35 years. He started his carer on April 28, 1989 at Casino, before moving to Mudgee Police Station in 1994 for general duties.
He continued being promoted through the ranks until he was appointed detective inspector in 2012.
According to his citation, "between 1998 and 2017 Detective Chief Inspector Whiteside investigated and led several significant homicides and serious and complex crimes.".
In 2017 he started in his current role of State Rural Crime Coordinator. He coordinates 63 officers across 28 regional locations.
In August 2020, Detective Chief Inspector Whiteside launched Operation Stock Check within NSW. It was a high-visibility operation to prevent livestock theft.
Due to the program's success, and Detective Chief Inspector Whiteside's strong working relationship with other law enforcement agencies, it was extended to become a national operation.
The operation contains a training program to teach all police officers how to conduct a livestock carrier inspection and relevant legislation pertaining to movement of stock.
Detective Chief Inspector Whiteside is currently an executive member of the International Society for the Study of Rural Crime and the only serving law enforcement officer on the executive.
He is a member of the advisory board for the Centre of Rural Criminology (CRC) at the University of New England (UNE) and has forged a significant relationship with UNE and in particular the CRC sharing and linking the world of academia to practitioners in the field of rural crime.
In July 2022, he was invited and attended the 75th Annual International Livestock Identification Association Conference by the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Rangers which was held in Fort Worth Texas.
He presented on the experience, success, and capability of the Rural Crime Prevention Team in respect to policing rural crime in NSW.
The Rural Crime Prevention Team started in 2017. A NSW Farm Crime Survey from 2021 found farmers who had been in contact with the team were significantly more likely to satisfied with police because they had been seen, heard and understood.
It also found farmers were significantly more likely to report crime since the rural crime team began.
In August 2023, Detective Chief Inspector Whiteside said the team was established "purely to increase confidence" in rural communities. And he said the team, in collaboration with Crime Stoppers, was having an impact.
"We're getting information about quad bikes, we're getting information about rural thefts before the victim even knows the crime has been committed. So that is working," he said.
Orlander Ruming
Deputy editor at the Daily Liberal, covering council, politics, human interest stories, community news and everything in between.
Deputy editor at the Daily Liberal, covering council, politics, human interest stories, community news and everything in between.
