The North Shore Lower Area Command will be amalgamated with Harbourside LAC as part of the NSW State Government’s move to amalgamate local area police commands across Sydney. This Government seems intent on trying to amalgamate every service.
Many Lane Cove residents are still angry that the Lane Cove Police Station was closed. At the time it was closed, residents were advised that Local Area Commands are much more efficient.
According to the NSW Police Website:
The backbone of the NSW Police Force are the Local Area Commands (LAC), your local police. Here, most officers work as general duties police, detectives, highway patrol officers and in traffic services. They provide a comprehensive, professional community-based policing service.
Assisting our Local Area Commands are units with specialist roles such as road safety, fingerprinting, rescue, water police, air wing, intelligence analysis, anti terrorist and hostage negotiation, drug enforcement, child protection, fraud and major crime investigation.
To ensure everyone has the opportunity to play a role in crime reduction we have made a commitment to develop a partnership with the community – a relationship that breaks down barriers and improves the quality of life for everyone in NSW.
The NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller stated that amalgamating a number of LAC across Sydney will see more officers on the beat and create a more flexible force. The amalgamation is about creating flexibility to shift staff around for short or extended periods and commanders will be able to build “futureproof” teams. By amalgamating local commands there will be fewer management positions in exchange for more front-line positions.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters on Friday that the amalgamation has her full support. In particular, she stated:
“When people see police officers they think twice about the actions they’re taking,”.
We agree with you Gladys, but since our local police station has closed Lane Cove has not had the same police presence. At Lane Cove, we rarely see officers on the beat. When ITC raised the lack of police presence with a former commander at the LAC North Shore, we were advised that they had a parking spot near Coles and that parking a police car there was a great deterrent. It looks like the thin blue line will become narrower and narrower… Our local member the Hon Anthony Roberts should be pressing for more police presence in Lane Cove.
One officer at the Northside LAC told ITC that Lane Cove was targeted by thieves as it was the first major suburb and bus interchange when visitors approach from the M2.
The number of motor car thefts in the Lane Cove Council Area increased for the period ending 30 June 2017.
If the LAC is moved from Chatswood, will response times be impacted? What do you think? Is this a good move or just a cost-cutting exercise?
Do you have a local issue you would like help with? ITC is here to help just email us at [email protected]
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