NSW Police are to employ six additional Rural Crime Investigators across the State in the near future.
Minister Police, David Elliott made the announcement at the Dubbo saleyards last week, in a move directed at combating stock theft, trespass, illegal hunting and firearm theft.
NSW Police Rural Crime Prevention Corporate Sponsor, Assistant Commissioner Geoff McKechnie welcomed the announcement sayin the plan would strengthen the policing presence in remote locations of the Western, Northern and Southern regions.
“The six additional Rural Crime Investigator positions allocated across the State will give us the capability in places we haven’t previously had before,” Assistant Commissioner McKechnie said.
“We plan to establish a Rural Crime Prevention Team at Casino on the North Coast, comprising a team of sergeant and two investigators,” he said.
“Those positions will roll out over the next 12 months and we’ll form that team, working in what is known as the cattle capital of NSW.”
He said other positions would be filled in more remote locations in Western and Southern NSW and would increase the level of capability that Rural Crime Investigators currently working as single units don’t have.
“That capacity will be boosted by a second officer, giving those communities far greater levels of coverage,” he said.
Assistant Commissioner McKechnie said the Rural Crime Investigators were very mobile and understood the importance of getting out to far-flung locations throughout the State.
He urged the public to engage with their Rural Crime Investigators in their local police districts to establish relationships well before problems occurred.
