ministerial audit of the nsw police force · 2017-01-18 · version one was handed to the hon....

MINISTERIAL AUDIT OF THE NSW POLICE FORCE Peter C Parsons APM

Version 2 – October 2011

This is version two of the Ministerial Audit of the NSW Police Force. Version one was handed to the Hon. Michael Gallacher MLC Minister for Police and Emergency Services on 1 September 2011. This second version has been revised structurally only, not impacting in any way on the overall content and purpose of this Audit Report. Peter C Parsons APM 27 October 2011

CABINET IN CONFIDENCE - MINISTERIAL AUDIT OF NEW SOUTH WALES POLICE FORCE

ii

Introduction

The NSW Minister for Police and Emergency Services has requested an audit of

police numbers and resources to be undertaken urgently.

The aim of the audit is to determine where police are, where they need to be and

how best to use them to protect and serve our communities.

Terms of reference

The audit will examine police numbers including:

current police numbers and their allocation across NSW

whether ‘authorised strength’ is an appropriate measure of policing levels in

the community

alternative measures of police strength including equivalent full time staff and

operational staff.

The audit will examine police stations including:

all existing police stations, their opening hours, and which are operations 24

hours a day

the current schedule of police stations to be sold, to ensure that these

resources are truly surplus to requirements

the effectiveness of the current Local Area Command structure, especially in

regional areas.

The audit will examine police resources including:

the allocation of support staff, police and other staff in specialist commands

the allocation of capital equipment, including police vehicles.

The audit is not restricted from considering other issues that arise during

consultations undertaken as part of the audit.

The audit will make recommendations for:

the allocation of additional police numbers, as committed to by the NSW

Government

the allocation of additional police resources including, for example, mobile

police command vehicles, as committed to by the NSW Government

other opportunities to improve community service through the reallocation of

existing resources or improved police practices.


iii

Process

The audit may undertake consultations with members of the NSW Police Force and

the community as it determines is appropriate.

The NSW Police Force will provide any information relevant to the audit’s terms of

reference.

The audit may have regard to the recent NSW Treasury ‘Initial Scan of the NSW

Police Force’, although the Cabinet confidentially of this document is to be

maintained.

Resourcing

The audit is established as a Ministerial Inquiry under Section 217 of the Police Act

1990.

The audit will be supported by the staff and resources of the NSW Police Force and

the Ministry for Police and Emergency Services.

The audit’s expenses will be met from within the existing resources of the Police

portfolio.

Significant expenditure is to be approved in advance by the Commissioner of Police

of the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry for Police and Emergency Services.

Time frame

The audit will provide a final report to the NSW Cabinet within three months of its

establishment.

The report will be provided to the Commissioner of Police, the Chief Executive

Officer of the Minister for Police and Emergency Services and the Minister for

Police.

Hon Michael Gallacher MLC

Minister for Police and Emergency Services.


iv

Table of contents

Foreword vii

Executive summary viii- xi

Summary of recommendations xii - xiv

Terms of Reference 1

Current police numbers and their allocation across NSW 1

Authorised strength 11

The Resource Allocation Model 11

The Workforce Distribution Model 11

The Police Allocation Model 12

What process is currently used to allocate probationary constables

from the NSW Police Force College? 12

Police Association of NSW 14

Equivalent Full time 16

Consideration of third measure - Operational strength as a percentage

of authorised strength 16

First Response Agreements 18

Flexible rostering arrangements 18


All existing police stations opening hours, and which are operational

24 hours a day 20

Schedule of stations to be sold 25

Effectiveness of the current LAC structure especially in Regional

areas 27


Allocation of Support staff 28

Police and other staff in Specialist Commands 30

Allocation of capital equipment including police vehicles 31


Allocation of additional police numbers 33

Allocation of additional police resources 34


v

Other opportunities to improve community service through

the reallocation of existing resources, or improved police practices 34

Proposed allocation of ADPP Class 314 graduating December2011 34

Current proposed reduction in the number of Local Area Commands 38

Proposal for reform of the structure of NSW Police Force 42

Local Area Command 43

The ‘District and Patrol’ model - devised by Superintendent

S Smith - reform of the LAC structure 43

Field Operations Command, Specialist Operations Command

and Corporate Services Command 67

Current situation 67

The ‘State Commander’ model 67

Disestablishment of Deputy Commissioner Corporate Services 73

Deputy Commissioner Field Operations/Crime - three new

established positions of Senior Assistant Commissioner - Regional,

Metropolitan and Crime - disestablishment of Region Commander

position 73

Deputy Commissioner Specialist Operations/Support - two new

established positions of Senior Assistant Commissioner-Specialists

and Support 76

The ‘District and Patrol’ model and the ‘State Commander’ model -

The way forward 78

Police Properties 86

Juvenile prisoner escorts 95

Adult prisoner escorts 97

Recognised Law Enforcement Officer’s (formerly Special Constables) 100

Policing through the use of social media 103

Appendix 1 Section 217 Police Act - No 47 of 1990 107

Appendix 2 Reference Documents 108

Appendix 3 Requested Documents 110

Appendix 4 Meetings 112

Appendix 5 Requests for Submissions

*Nemises Message 9 May 2011 115

*Nemises Message 31 May 2011 117

*Nemises Message 20 June 2011 118


vi

*E-mail to NSW Police Force Assistant Commissioners and

Command Directors 119

*Letter to Members of Parliament from Minister Police

and Emergency Services 120

Appendix 6 Submissions from NSW Police Force employees -

Overview 122

Tables 123

Appendix 7 Submissions from Members of Parliament, Councils,

Chambers of Commerce and other individuals -

Overview 125

Summaries of submissions 127


vii

Foreword I am pleased to present this Ministerial Audit report of the New South Wales Police

Force.

Whilst there was a clear focus in the Terms of Reference directed by the Minister

for Police and Emergency Services, scope was also provided by him for the

consideration of any other issue that arose during the course of my consultations.

For this flexible attitude I thank him sincerely and certainly would not have

produced what in effect is a reform blue-print for this wonderful organisation, if it

were not for that flexibility and the trust he placed in me to use it wisely.

Submissions from both police employees and members of the public were pivotal to

the Audit for as I declared in this document, ‘the benefactor of this process will be

the practitioner (the police) and the end-user (the public)’.

Three hundred and sixty six (366) submissions were received from the police and

ninety five (95) submissions were received from Members of Parliament, Councils,

Chambers of Commerce and individuals. This was an outstanding result and clearly

identifies the level of concern and interest that this Audit generated. I sincerely

thank each and every one of these people who took the time to document their

views and ideas for improvement.

What I have delivered in this document today I hope will be accepted by most in

the spirit in which it has been written. This spirit is about acknowledging the

outstanding work our fine men and women of the New South Wales Police Force

carry out every day, day and night and in many cases under extreme adversity, but

it is also about acknowledging that we can always do better.

I would like to thank the Commissioner of Police and the Minister for Police and

Emergency Services for the support they and their staff have given me. I thank the

men and women at the Ministry for Police and Emergency Services for welcoming

me warmly and special mention for Les Tree Chief Executive Officer, Sam Toohey -

Senior Policy Analyst, and Rachael Gallagher for their help and support.

Finally, a special thank you is extended to Rob Kinny, Assistant Commissioner Peter

Gallagher APM, Superintendent Stuart Smith APM and Mrs Joan Hamilton for their

wonderful support and assistance throughout.

Peter C Parsons APM


viii

Executive Summary

Good, strong management has been an inherent feature of the New South Wales

Police Force for many decades. As one of the largest public sector agencies in this

State, and one of the five largest police forces in the western world, it continues

to meet continuing Government requirements of service delivery in the face of

ongoing budget pressures. It is an unfortunate fact of life in this current economic

environment that the Budget has become such an influential driving force within

the management philosophy of the Police Force; that a Shared Services Directorate

has been established specifically within the Corporate Service’s Command to find

the savings Government (and Treasury) expects. ‘Global savings’ and ‘Shared

services’ are two terms that have now become permanently etched into the Police

management lexicon.

The danger however in this ‘forced environment’ is that all the while the

community similarly expects increased levels in service delivery from its police

force.

The New South Wales Police Force to remain healthy as a law enforcement

organisation cannot lose sight of its raison d'être, its core business - serving the

community. During the course of my many consultations and in the submissions

received including from police themselves, the Police Force has been variously

described as being managed more like a business than a provider of community

safety. How it balances this dichotomy I contend demands a culture of strong, re-

invigorated leadership, one that values its staff and provides the clear direction

and support in day to day operations that the staff so eagerly expect and desire.

In my experience of over 36 years as a police officer, including in the last 14 years

as a senior officer and Commander in arguably three of the more complex

Commands in the State (Redfern Local Area Command, Bankstown Local Area

Command and the Northern Police Region), it became abundantly clear to me that

the ability to be a good leader is equally as important as it is to be a good

manager. To be a good leader you must value your staff. They are the most

important asset in any unit, sector or organisation, and need - no require to, be

carefully managed and nurtured. Respect for your staff ensures a maximisation of

effort and performance from them; they are individuals, not machines, and

therefore do not and should not have to work in an environment that perhaps has

some connotations of fear; and one that leaves them with a feeling of being under-

valued.

The Ministerial Audit announced by Honourable M Gallacher - Minister for Police

and Emergency Services in February of this year provides the New South Wales

Police Force with a wonderful opportunity to evince and elevate leadership to one

that is transparent and effective and driven by a desire to increase the

performance of the organisation’s service delivery to an even higher level.


ix

My proposal for reform of the organisational structure of the New South Wales

Police Force satisfies six key areas of the Ministerial Audit’s Terms of Reference;

More focus on Regional Policing

More Police on the front-line and less ‘top brass’

Less Police in the ‘back office’

Local problems/local solutions/local police

More focus on victims of crime

Significant savings over the long term

I propose the (re)introduction of the pivotal position of State Commander. This

person will be clearly seen as the second in charge of the organisation; will provide

the ‘breathing space’ to allow the Commissioner to be more strategic; will allow

closer scrutiny (and leadership) for the next level - the Deputy Commissioners; and

will allow the Deputy Commissioners to focus more strategically on their respective

command responsibilities.

In summation, the position of State Commander will ensure it is leadership and

teamwork and not personalities which drives the organisation. Similarly, the State

Commander will ensure it is leadership and teamwork which will drive the proposed

reform process forward.

The current Local Area Command (LAC) structure is almost identical in rank,

structure and philosophy to that introduced by Peter Ryan in 1997, fourteen (14)

years ago. Initially – and to this day, the LAC was to be the ‘hub’ of service delivery

with all other specialist and support areas in existence solely to provide the LAC

with the wherewithal to ‘get on with the business of policing’. With eighty (80)

LAC’s across the State the LAC concept was seen then as a policing model of best

practice, a revelation in terms of the history of policing in the State of New South

Wales, and one that Government in the aftermath of the Wood Royal Commission

entrusted police leaders with the responsibility and accountability to meet all of

the requirements of the community of New South Wales into the future.

Eighty Local Area Commands equates to eighty Superintendents, 340 plus Duty

Officers and 80 Crime Managers at the rank of at minimum Inspector. It cannot be

said that the NSW Police Force is lacking in senior officers, and interestingly a

common theme arising out of many of the submissions received from sworn

personnel during this Audit was that ‘there are too many officers, and not enough

troops’.

The current LAC amalgamation project under consideration - ‘Frontline

Enhancement Strategy (Local Area Command Amalgamations), whilst driven by the

need to identify ‘real’ global savings, can also be seen as a philosophical surrender

to the argument that ‘the structure of LAC’s need to be looked at.’ The current

LAC structure can be questioned; there are workable alternative solutions; and

there are savings to be found.


x

Clearly there are problems with the current structure. More importantly when you

cast a discerning eye over policing in regional New South Wales, and dig deep into

the fabric of sector policing especially which this Audit has allowed me to do, you

start to see how far removed from the community the organisation has caused our

police to be. In its haste to become more streamlined, more performance based,

more micro-managed, more budget/savings - responsive, and more ‘standard

operating procedure’ oriented, the organisation in many respects has lost its

concept of community service delivery. First Response Agreements, roster

clustering, the endemic use of Eagle Phones and the like, whether directly or

indirectly, have alienated our community from our police, right across the State

moreso in regional New South Wales. As one police officer in his submission to me

indicated - ‘policing in this State has become city-centric’.

After much analysis, extensive readings and listening to passionate sworn and

unsworn police personnel and community members, I know now is the right time

for change. I therefore propose the implementation of the Superintendent Stuart

Smith ‘District and Patrol’ model to replace the current Local Area Command

structure. Whilst there are significant savings to be realised with this model, it is to

be hoped that the political will and the courage of the leaders of the organisation

will also recognise this proposed reform as a way of getting back to basics. Not

only will savings be identified over time (80 Superintendents replaced by 30

Executive Chief Superintendents or similar; surplus Inspectors in the order of 100

plus, and surplus Crime Management Units) but the opportunity exists for these

savings (plus others) to be converted into additional numbers of operational and

specialist police officers.

I propose the establishment of the new position of Senior Assistant Commissioner

Regional (SACR). This officer will be directly responsible for the proposed twelve

(12) regional ‘Districts and Patrols’. Similarly, the new position of Senior Assistant

Commissioner Metropolitan (SACM) assumes responsibility for the proposed

eighteen (18) metropolitan ‘Districts and Patrols’. The six positions of Region

Commander at the rank of Assistant Commissioner will be disestablished.

I further propose the establishment of the new position of Senior Assistant

Commissioner Crime (SACC). This officer will be directly responsible for the newly

established ‘crime’ stream to be incorporated alongside the Field commands under

the Deputy Commissioner Field Operations/Crime. The SACC will have

responsibility for State Crime Command; Counter Terrorism Command (not State

Protection Group - this is a Specialist command); Undercover Branch; State

Technical Investigation Branch; State Surveillance Branch; and,

Telecommunications Interception Branch.

These three senior officers will be physically located adjacent to each other

directly reporting to the Deputy Commissioner Field Operations/Crime. By placing

these three command ‘streams’ together sends a clear message that overt, strong,

united leadership will provide more timely responses to the needs and demands of

the frontline officer right across regional and metropolitan New South Wales.


xi

I propose the disestablishment of the Deputy Commissioner Corporate Services

position with the commands and units within that small command being distributed

between the office of the State Commander and the Deputy Commissioner

Specialist Operations/Support.

The question of the future role and level of responsibility of the Assistant

Commissioner rank in specific positions becomes questionable when you compare it

with the role and responsibilities of the new ‘District Commander’ at the proposed

rank of (Executive) Chief Superintendent. I recommend a strong review process be

initiated to progress this important piece of work. My view is that the

disestablishment of the rank of Assistant Commissioner should follow in the

positions of Major Events and Incidents Group (244 authorised); Special Services

Group (416 authorised - less with 4 Branches moving to Field/Crime); Operational

Communications and Information Command (250 authorised); Human Resources (18

authorised), and Traffic Services (154 authorised). With the proposed

implementation of a new Transport Group under the command of an Assistant

Commissioner (with a stated complement of 600 staff) it seems a sensible move to

place Traffic Services within this group under the command of at minimum a

Superintendent. It is evident that with the disestablishment of these ranks, the

opportunity is again presented to convert any savings into additional police

numbers.

To effectively take these proposals forward, I recommend the appointment of the

State Commander who will inter alia manage the reform process. At the same time

a ‘change agent’ needs to be appointed. This person will be a senior serving police

officer with experience in the necessary regimens to make the process happen,

reporting directly to the State Commander. I further recommend that the author of

the ‘District and Patrols’ model - Superintendent Stuart Smith, be appointed to this

‘change management’ team to assist the senior officer in charge. I have proposed

an action plan - ‘The Way Forward’ for the reform process and this can be found

within the document.

I further propose the appointment of an ‘oversighting body’ comprised of the

Commissioner of Police; Minister for Police and Emergency Services (or his

representative); two respected community members (one regional one

metropolitan) and the author of this report. As the name implies, this group will

provide direction to the change management team for the implementation of the

reform processes.

I have made further recommendations in this report in relation to two issues which

require immediate responses by Government - Police Housing and Escorting of

Prisoners (Adult and Juvenile). It is my strong view and that of senior police in

relation to prisoner escorts that Police cannot continue to bear the responsibility of

a service delivery which is the primary role of both the Department of Corrective

Services and the Department of Juvenile Justice. Strong leadership by Government

needs to be shown here.


xii

Summary of recommendations

Recommendation One 15 That the New South Wales Police Force in consultation with industry experts, formulates a workforce allocation model which addresses all areas of the organisation Recommendation Two 17 That any workforce allocation model developed by the New South Wales Police Force takes into account authorised strength, equivalent full time and operational availability as a percentage of authorised strength (minimum of 90% operational) and ensures greater flexibility in deployment options. Recommendation Three 17

To ensure a transparent measurement of the Operational readiness of the NSW Police Force, comprehensive monthly Human Resource returns from each command unit be mandatory. These returns be similarly as detailed and comprehensive as the model recently discontinued.

Recommendation Four 19 That training of Commanders and other relevant officers by significantly increased as a matter of urgency in respect of understanding the Award; Other Industrial Agreements; the Police Act; Industrial Relations; and, Dispute Resolution. Recommendation Five 27 That an urgent review be conducted of the 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 Police Properties Divestment Plans in light of the reform/restructure being proposed in this Audit report. Recommendation Six 30 That the New South Wales Police Force suspend the proposed ‘Regional Services Delivery’ model in light of any recommendations of this report as to any reform or restructure. Recommendation Seven 31

That the New South Wales Police Force develop a program to review and, if appropriate, implement the recommendations of the ‘Specialist Operations Command Delivery Review 2009’.

Recommendation Eight 38 That the ADPP Class attesting from the New South Wales Police Force College in November 2011 be allocated to each Local Area Command throughout the State on the basis of bringing them up to a minimum operational level of 90% of its authorised strength. Recommendation Nine 42 Any action proposed for the introduction of the ‘Frontline Enhancement Strategy - Local Area Command Amalgamations (McKechnie Report)’ be suspended pending the decision to implement the ‘District and Patrol’ and ‘State Commander’ models.


xiii

Recommendation Ten 77 That the Local Area Command structural model be replaced by the ‘District and Patrol’ model as devised by Superintendent Stuart Smith and comprehensively detailed in the Parsons Report. Recommendation Eleven 77 That the ‘State Commander’ model as detailed comprehensively in the Parsons Report be implemented in its entirety. Recommendation Twelve 79 On approval given for the implementation of the ‘District and Patrol’ and ‘State Commander’ models, that the attached Gantt milestone chart be immediately implemented to drive the reform process. Recommendation Thirteen 79 The State Commander position filled in the first instance, followed by the the appointment of a senior serving New South Wales police officer to perform the role of ‘change agent’ in the reform process. Recommendation Fourteen 79 An oversight committee consisting of the Commissioner of Police, the Minister for Police and Emergency Service’s (or his representative); two respected members of the community (one regional, one metropolitan) and the author of this report appointed by the Minister for Police and Emergency Services. Recommendation Fifteen 94 That a strategic team from within the New South Wales Police Force representative of officers drawn from across the organisation, review the property issues and make recommendations to the Principal. Recommendation Sixteen 94 That Minor and Urgent works be delegated to police at the local level (LAC or equivalent) to engage local qualified contractors to complete this work, and that funding made available at that local level for this to occur. Recommendation Seventeen 94 That Police premises be bought up to an acceptable standard as a matter of urgency and that funding be made available for this to occur. Recommendation Eighteen 94 That the New South Wales Police Force establishes a Police Housing Authority similar in operation to the Teacher’s Housing Authority. Recommendation Nineteen 96 That the Department of Juvenile Justice immediately take responsibility for all juvenile escorts as is their primary role and, agreed to by the Memorandum of Understanding struck in 2008. Recommendation Twenty 99 That adult prisoner escort duties to and from Court be removed as a duty of the New South Wales Police Force and be taken over completely either by Department of Corrective Services, or be subject to privatisation.


xiv

Recommendation Twenty One 102 That the New South Wales Police Force consider expanding the numbers and roles of Recognised Law Enforcement Officers (RLEO’s) to better assist frontline officers. Recommendation Twenty Two 106 That the New South Wales Police Force work to develop one proposal for the further use of web based technology to improve customer consultation and victim service.


1

TERMS OF REFERENCE ONE Examine police numbers including; (a) Current Police numbers and their allocation across New

South Wales

(b) Whether ‘authorised strength’ is an appropriate measure (c) Alternative measures of police strength including equivalent

full time and operational staff

(a) Current Police numbers and their allocation across New South Wales

The New South Wales Police Force „Strength Statement June 2011‟ - drawn from

the NSW Police Intranet, indicates a current authorised strength of 15,806 and an

actual strength of 15,943. The NSW „SAP System‟ indicates the Equivalent Full

Time (EFT) count is 15,633.88. Documentation identifying the actual number of

operational (effective) strength was much more difficult to obtain given the

disparate systems used. Herein lies an area exposed as requiring further analysis,

and which can be found in the accompanying sections of this document.

The New South Wales Police Force Corporate Plan 2008-2012 has within the

„People‟ Key Performance Area (KPA), an indicator of „maintain adequate police

officers at local area commands ≥ 80%‟. Various documents obtained in this Audit

show that the current proportion of actual strength is apportioned somewhere

between 77 and 81% for Field Operations; somewhere between 17 and 21% for

Specialist Operations; and, 2% for Corporate Services. Closer analysis reveals an

almost chronic situation in many regional commands (and some metropolitan as

well) in northern, western and southern New South Wales.

‘Specialist Operations’ - refers to all sworn police attached to State Crime

Command, Counter Terrorism and Special Tactics Command, Forensic Services

Group, Police Prosecutions, Professional Standards Command, Special Services

Group and Operational Communications and Information Command. The „Strength

Statement June 2011‟ for Special Operations indicates a total of authorised -

2,688; actual - 2,710.

‘Corporate Services’ - refers to Education and Training Command, Human

Resources Command, Business and Technology Services, Finance and Business


2

Services, Office of the General Counsel, Performance Improvement and Planning,

Public Affairs and Shared Services Directorate. The „Strength Statement June 2011‟

for Corporate Services indicates a total of authorised - 326; actual - 410.

‘Field Operations’ - refers to all sworn police attached to the 80 Local Area

Commands in the 6 (six) Police Regions throughout the State.

[See Tables below for Six Regions and LAC strength figures; Corporate Services

Command Units strength figures; and, Specialist Operations Command Units

strength figures *];

*Central Metropolitan Region LAC Strength Figures @ 31 July 2011:

LAC AUTHORISED ACTUAL OPERATIONAL VARIANCE

Botany Bay 128 126 111 -17

City Central 253 254 230 -23

Eastern Beaches 186 172 156 -30

Eastern Suburbs 134 129 105 -29

Harbourside 153 150 116 -37

Hurstville 178 198 146 -32

Kings Cross 151 158 137 -14

Leichardt 167 152 138 -29

Miranda 137 143 117 -20

Newtown 127 120 103 -24

Redfern 162 154 128 -34

Rose Bay 113 103 86 -27

St. George 155 149 122 -33

Surry Hills 183 173 158 -25

Sutherland 165 171 141 -24

The Rocks 93 92 77 -16

Central Met.Units12 69 67 68 -2

Youth Command3 127 118 101 -26

TOTALS 2,681 2,629 2,238 - 443


3

1 This number includes secondments from each of the Region LAC‟s to staff the Central Metropolitan Region

Enforcement Squad (RES); the Metropolitan Robbery Squad; Commuter Crime Unit; Strike Force „Raptor‟ and

others servicing the Central Metropolitan exclusively; and, the Central Metropolitan Region Office. 2 This Unit supports the Central Metropolitan Region Commander who also serves as the State SEOCON 3 The NSW Youth Command which services the whole State (operational School Liaison Officers) has its central

command responsibility located in the Central Metropolitan Region office

Long term sick (LTS) does not impact on LAC‟s in the Central Metropolitan

Region as it does on the country Regions. The LAC with the highest number

of staff not available due to LTS is Sutherland with 5 - compare this with

Newcastle City (33) & Tweed/Byron (15) - Northern Region; Wollongong (21)

& Lake Illawarra (16) - Southern Region; and, Oxley (Tamworth)(14) &

Chifley (Bathurst)(14) - Western Region.

Youth Command which is an administrative responsibility of Central

Metropolitan Region, and which has staff located throughout the State

(School Liaison Officers), has 11 on LTS

The total of staff not available for duties due to LTS in the Central

Metropolitan Region is 68 - compare this with 218 (Northern), 83 (Western)

and 98 (Southern)

Region unavailable staff due to Restricted Duties totals 116

Restricted Duties includes the categories of temporary, maternity,

disciplinary and permanent

Sutherland (13), Surry Hills (11) and Botany Bay (10) are the most affected

LAC‟s with staff on „Restricted Duties‟

The single biggest contributor to staff unavailability in LAC‟s in Central

Metropolitan Region is the combined categories of „Staff on Loan Out‟ and

„Secondments out of LAC‟. The total number for the Region is 127. Compare

this count with Western Region (6), Northern (13) and Southern (13)

Both these categories involve amongst others, staff allocated to the Central

Metropolitan Region Enforcement Squad, Strike Forces, Task Forces and

Commuter Crime Unit for example. These units/commands primarily

respond to crime issues in the Central Metropolitan Region.

Central Metropolitan Region LAC‟s with the highest number of staff „on

loan‟ etc., include Harbourside (17), Redfern (15), City Central (11),

Miranda (10) and Sutherland (10)

Central Metropolitan Region LAC‟s continue to have to provide staff on a

needs basis to the many street demonstrations throughout the CBD, many of

which are unplanned and/or spontaneous.


4

*North West Metropolitan Region LAC Strength Figures @ 31 July 2011;

LOCAL AREA COMMAND AUTHORISED ACTUAL OPERATIONAL VARIANCE

Blacktown 179 181 152 -27

Blue Mountains 118 116 98 -20

Eastwood 127 122 106 -21

Gladesville 106 105 91 -15

Hawkesbury 98 110 86 -12

Holroyd 144 143 131 -13

Kuring-Gai 170 170 140 -30

Manly 111 103 95 -16

Mt. Druitt 181 183 155 -26

North Shore 139 146 128 -11

Northern Beaches 200 198 183 -17

Parramatta 212 209 195 -17

Penrith 172 175 153 -19

Quakers Hill 109 117 108 -1

St. Marys 137 141 127 -10

The Hills 110 112 107 -3

N/ West Metro. Units1 62 62 55 -10

TOTALS 2,375 2,393 2,110 - 268

1 this number includes the Region LAC‟s contributions to the North West Region Enforcement Squad; the Region

office; Commuter Crime Unit; and, other Task Forces and Strike Forces servicing the North West Region

exclusively.

Region Unavailable staff due to Long Term Sick (LTS) totals 91

North Shore (12), Hawkesbury (11) and Blue Mountains (10) are the most

affected LAC‟s with LTS

Region unavailable staff due to Restricted duties totals 100

Kuring-Gai (15), Blacktown (14) and Penrith (13) are the most affected

LAC‟s with staff on Restricted Duties

North West Metropolitan Region LAC‟s provide a total of 64 staff in the

category of „Secondments out of LAC‟ - see explanatory note above (1)

Mt Druitt (10), Eastwood (9) and Gladesville (7) are the LAC‟s with the most

number of staff on „secondment out‟.


5

*South West Metropolitan Region LAC Strength Figures @ 31 July 2011:


Ashfield 137 132 117 -20

Bankstown 272 260 238 -34

Burwood 145 142 125 -20

Cabramatta 133 137 122 -11

Camden 100 103 89 -11

Campbelltown 177 185 170 -7

Campsie 173 157 135 -38

Fairfield 196 202 173 -23

Flemington 221 217 191 -30

Green Valley 116 116 96 -20

Liverpool 186 181 166 -20

Macquarie Fields 174 177 157 -17

Marrickville 129 128 111 -18

Rosehill 127 133 117 -10

S/W Metro. Units1 65 61 78 +13

. TOTALS 2,351 2,331 2,085 - 266

1this number includes the Region‟s LAC‟s contributions to the South West Region Enforcement Squad; the Region

office; Commuter Crime Unit; Metropolitan Robbery Squad; and Strike Forces and Task Forces servicing the South

West Metropolitan Region LAC‟s exclusively.

Region Unavailable staff due to Long Term Sick (LTS) totals 56

Green Valley (7), Flemington (7) and Fairfield (5) and Holroyd (5) are the

most affected LAC‟s with staff on LTS


Campsie (15), Fairfield (9), and Bankstown (9) are the most affected LAC‟s

with staff on Restricted Duties

South West Metropolitan Region LAC‟s provide a total of 72 staff in the

category of „Secondments out of LAC‟ - see explanatory note above (1)

Flemington (9), Fairfield (9) and Cabramatta (9) are the LAC‟s with the most

number of staff on „secondment out‟.

An additional number of 27 staff have been documented as being located in

the South West Metropolitan Region office in the the category „Secondments

into LAC‟.


6

*Northern Region Local Area Command Strength Figures @ 31 July 2011:


Brisbane Water 236 229 188 - 48

Central Hunter 179 183 163 - 16

Coffs/Clarence 193 194 153 - 40

Hunter Valley 95 95 81 - 14

Lake Macquarie 215 214 174 - 41

Manning/Great Lakes 118 118 103 - 15

Mid North Coast 174 171 141 - 33

Newcastle City 303 309 239 - 64

Port Stephens 109 111 84 - 25

Richmond 197 196 165 - 32

Tuggerah Lakes 206 207 172 - 34

Tweed/Byron 172 171 132 -40

N/Region Office1 16 13 13 -3

TOTALS 2,213 2,211 1,808 - 405

1Staffing of Region offices include Region Commander; HR Manager; Professional Standards Manager;

Operations Manager; Scarce Resource Co-Ordinator; Traffic Co-Ordinator/s; Administrative staff etc.,

Important Note; Northern Region (as all country regions) does not have a

Region Enforcement Squad or any of the other Support Units that are

applicable to the Metropolitan Regions

Northern Region has the highest percentage variance of operational strength

versus authorised strength of the six Regions

The most occurring category for unavailability is Long Term Sick

172 officers in the Region as at 31.6.2011 had been recorded as having been

off duty on Long Term Sick 45 days out of the previous 60 days

124 officers in the Region were unavailable due to having been placed on

„restricted duties‟ - this includes permanently restricted (37); temporary

restricted (65); pregnancy-related protocols (21); and, disciplinary (1)

46 officers were officially classified as „Medically Overstrength‟ (awaiting

discharge)

The top five LAC‟s for Long Term Sick are - Newcastle (33); Tweed/Byron

(15); Richmond (14); Coffs/Clarence (12) and, Mid-North Coast and Port

Stephens (Both 11).


Lake Macquarie (19), Tuggerah Lakes (16) and Brisbane Water (13) are the

most affected LAC‟s with staff on restricted Duties


7

*Southern Region LAC Strength Figures @ 31 July 2011:


Albury 147 150 123 -24

Cootamundra 97 103 93 -4

Deniliquin 86 83 77 -9

Far South Coast 118 126 104 -14

Goulburn 168 176 153 -15

Griffith 127 120 109 -18

Lake Illawarra 233 238 208 -25

Monaro 135 138 119 -16

Shoalhaven 139 144 122 -17

Wagga Wagga 141 143 116 -25

Wollongong 213 216 183 -30

S/Region Office1 12 17 12 -

TOTALS 1,616 1,654 1,419 - 197

1Staffing of Region Office includes Region Commander; HR Manager; Professional Standards Manager; Operations

Manager; Scarce Resources Co-ordinator; Traffic Co-ordinator; Administrative staff etc.,

Important Note; Southern Region does not have a Region Enforcement Squad

or any of the other Support Units that are applicable in the Metropolitan

Regions

Data current as at 31 July 2011

Region unavailable staff due to Long Term Sick (LTS) totals 120

Wollongong (21), Lake Illawarra (16) and Wagga Wagga (15) are the most

affected LAC‟s with staff on LTS


Lake Illawarra (11), Albury (10), Goulburn (10) and Shoalhaven (10) are the

most affected LAC‟s with staff on Restricted Duties


8

*Western Region LAC Strength Figures @ 31 July 2011:


Barrier 105 100 94 -11

Barwon 102 107 92 -10

Canobolas 108 110 87 -21

Castlereagh 69 68 60 -9

Chifley 141 148 120 -21

Darling River 88 92 83 -5

Lachlan 82 86 77 -5

Mudgee 67 68 51 -16

New England 144 146 120 -24

Orana 143 133 115 -28

Oxley 132 131 109 -23

Western Region Office1 11 14 13 +2

TOTALS 1,192 1,203 1,021 -171

1 Staffing of Region office includes Region Commander; HR Manager; Professional Standards Manager; Operations

Manager; Scarce Resources Coordinator; Traffic Coordinator; Administrative staff etc.,

Important Note; Western Region does not have the services of a Region

Enforcement Squad or any of the other Support Units that are available to

the LAC‟s in the metropolitan Regions

Region unavailable staff due to Long Term Sick (LTS) totals 83

Oxley (Tamworth) with (14), New England (Armidale)(13) and Canobolas

(Orange)(11) are the most affected LAC‟s with staff on LTS


Orana (Dubbo)(9), Canobolas (9) and Chifley (Bathurst) (8) are the most

affected LAC‟s with staff on Restricted Duties


9

CORPORATE SERVICES

COMMAND AUTHORISED ACTUALS PERMANENT

RESTRICTED

LONG TERM

SICK ≥ 26 WKS

Business and Technology

Services 10 19 2 1

Corporate Services

Command 2 3 - -

Education and Training

Command 242 288 27 14

Finance and Business

Services 3 5 - -

Human Resources Command 18 40 6 7

Office of General Counsel 9 8 3 -

Performance and

Improvement Planning 20 19 1 -

Public Affairs 18 17 - -

Shared Services Directorate 4 7 2 -

TOTAL 326 406 41 22

Data for Corporate Services Command current as at 22 June 2011

Data collection processes different to Field

Unable to provide Operational strength at time of documenting Audit


10

SPECIALIST OPERATIONS

COMMAND AUTHORISED ACTUALS

PERMANENT

RESTRICTED

LONG TERM

SICK ≥ 26 WKS

Counter Terrorism & Special

Tactics 381 372 7 12

Forensic Services Group 343 313 18 11

Operational

Communications &

Information Command

250 248 20 2

Police Prosecutions

Command 276 338 32 3

Professional Standards

Command 155 150 14 4

Special Services Group 416 400 13 6

Specialist Operations

Command 3 3 - -

State Crime Command 864 876 16 25

TOTAL 2,688 2,700 120 63

Data for Specialist Operations Command current as at 22 June 2011

Data collection processes different to Field

Unable to provide Operational strength at time of documenting Audit


11

(b) Authorised strength

Police strength has traditionally been measured in a number of ways. First and

foremost is „authorised‟ strength. Authorised strength has been described as, “a

means of defining the desired resourcing level for each of its organisational units”

(1). Similarly, it has also been described as, “the number of staffing resources

allocated (and funded, importantly) to a Command at any given point in time.”

Authorised strength does not include „Over Strength Not To Be De-Activated

(OSNTBD) positions.

In the past there has been many and varied discussions as to the equitable

distribution of policing strengths based on a number of factors. These have

included measuring workloads; ratios of police to population geographical area;

crime rates; tyranny of distance; demographic factors including growth rates; and,

political implications that may come to bear from time to time. The difficulty

continues to be the inability in adopting one, consolidated process, which sits

behind the allocation of authorised strength to each of the organisational

units. Accordingly, the New South Wales Police Force has over the years

employed or experimented with various workforce allocation models.

1 - The Resource Allocation Model (RAS)

The Resource Allocation Model was used by the New South Wales Police Force

between 1992 and 1997 when the organisation was restructured from Patrols to

Local Area Commands (1a).

2 - The Workforce Distribution Model (WDS)

In 2003 the Workforce Distribution System (WDS) was developed. The WDS is a,

“spreadsheet-based model that was designed to provide and recommend an

equitable distribution of both current and newly available authorised general

duties constables positions across Local Area Commands”(2). In 2002 this system

was expanded to include the distribution of traffic and criminal investigation

duties. The WDS examined the distribution of staff based, in the main, upon

recorded workload and other factors, such as the need to meet leave and training

commitments, the need to roster staff for station or support duties etc.


12

3 - The Police Allocation Model (PAM)

In 2004, the New South Wales Police Force developed the Police Allocation Model

(PAM). The purpose of the PAM is identical to that of the WDS and takes into

account very similar criteria (3). Both models formulate calculations based upon

workload and other extraneous factors. The limitation of both models is they

calculate positions for general duties, traffic and criminal investigations only. Both

models have now fallen into disuse.

4 - What process is currently used to allocate Probationary Constables as they

attest from the Police College?

The allocation of newly appointed officers is currently determined as follows:

“The Deputy Commissioner‟s Human Resources monthly staffing returns

provides information on staffing numbers that impact upon Local Area

Command front line general duties positions, including long term sick

personnel, restricted duties personal, those on maternity leave etc).

Each Local Area Command (through the Region Human Resource

Manager), is requested to provide a bid for students, taking into

account their needs and their ability to train the probationary

constables. [Note: there appears to be no consistent methodology by

which „bids‟ are made].

Local Area Command authorised general duty constable numbers, actual

numbers and effective full-time (EFT) are obtained via SAP from the

Positions Management Unit of Human Resources and updated in the

spreadsheet.

The number of probationary constables from the previous graduating

class assigned to each Local Area Command is included on the

spreadsheet as a cross reference to Local Area Commands to ensure no

LAC is overloaded by the new training impost.

From the above data, the spreadsheet then provides a „percentage

value‟ of strength of each Local Area Command to provide a Region

operational strength as a percentage value.

Available students are then distributed amongst the Region‟s (Local

Area Commands) with the aim to have each Metropolitan Region and

each Country Region operating at the same percentage value (or as

close as possible with available students).


13

A „draft‟ allocation provisionally authored by the Commander Human

Resources is forward to the Regions for comment. This provides Region

Commanders an opportunity to change the draft allocation at each

Local Area Command based upon factors other than raw numbers.

[Note: The aim for Region allocation‟s ( percentage values) is to not

change].

Based upon Region feedback, an allocation is completed for

consideration by the Commissioner‟s Executive Team (CET) approval.

A report is then forward via the Commander - Human Resources seeking

CET approval for the allocation of student numbers at each LAC.

[Note: CET may change allocations].

Issues with the above process include:

No scientific methodology or consistency for the „bids‟ by each Local

Area Command,

Some Local Area Commands will be allocated probationary constables,

even though they are over their „authorised strength‟, whilst other

LAC‟s will be allocated insufficient probationary constables to meet

their authorised strength,

A “lack of flexibility inherent in the model” (5), and

The inability to reallocate staff from one Command to another based

upon changing demographics, especially from a political perspective.

In October 2010 the Assistant Commissioner Human Resources requested research

to be undertaken in relation to police allocation models. This research reported,

in part:

“The traditional measurement of reactive workload continues to play a

vital role in determining total workload and workload per officer.

However, reliance on reactive workload as the sole driver of resource

allocation removes organisational flexibility in the distribution of proactive

capacity across commands. What is perhaps required is the delineation of

workload analysis into two discrete concepts: reactive workload and total

workload (including proactive work).” Further:

“The NSWPF has previously confined the development of workforce

allocation models to attempting to balance the reactive workload of

general duties constables, with no consideration given to the distribution

of resources across the organisation as a whole, not to aligning the process


14

with the organisation‟s broader strategic priorities. The focus should now

shift to clearly defining what we want to achieve through workforce

allocation, before we begin to develop an effective mechanism for

achieving it” [the author‟s (research) emphasis].

The problem is not only with the methodology of the allocation of probationary

constables to the field, but also that, when additional authorised positions become

available, they are allocated to Field Services, either general duties, detectives or

highway patrol. Submissions from the Specialist Operations Command highlight this

issue. This Review received seven (7) major submissions from Specialist Operations

Command with the common themes of:

(Specialist) Commands have been „widely ignored‟ in terms of human

resource growth,

Staffing levels in Specialist Operations Commands have been largely

ignored in comparison to the overall growth of the NSWPF,

Specialist Operations have not kept pace with Field Operations, and

There are a number of units (within Specialist Operations) that are in

critical need of more staff due to the increase in workloads.

Clearly, the New South Wales Police Force is lacking an appropriate workforce

allocation model which addresses all areas of the organisation. This should be

remedied.

5 - Police Association of New South Wales

In July 2011, the Police Association of New South Wales (PANSW) made submissions

to this Review, including submissions regarding the development of a Resource

Allocation Model. The PANSW proposes a model that, “can effectively and

equitably distribute authorised positions to commands based on workload,

demographic and community needs.” Of particular note is the Association‟s

position that any model should apply to future increases of authorised positions.

The Association recognises the difficulty with retrospectively applying a workforce

model which could result in some locations losing staff to other locations.

Recommendations for matters to be taken into account include both quantitative

and qualitative measures:


15

Workload (crime rates, incidents, domestic violence rates, traffic accidents

etc)

Local demographics (population, geography, social demographics etc)

Seasonal variations (school holidays, significant events etc)

Availability of other government and NGO services

Numbers and locations of police (and corrective services) cells

Licensed premises

The association further stated, “The model that is required for NSWPF must be

underpinned by a sound Miscellaneous Shift Calculation, contemporary First

Response Agreements, determination of essential positions, application of known

socio-demographic data and environmental factors.”

The proposed Miscellaneous Shift Calculation (MSC) is used to determine the

average number of shifts per week an officer needs to be available for operational

duty, taking into account all other commitments, including annual leave, sick

leave, court, training days, travel days, prisoner escorts, mental health escorts,

public order events etc.

RECOMMENDATION ONE:

THAT THE NEW SOUTH WALES POLICE FORCE, IN CONSULTATION

WITH INDUSTRY EXPERTS, FORMULATES A WORKFORCE ALLOCATION

MODEL WHICH ADDRESSES ALL THE AREAS OF THE ORGANISATION.


16

(c) Equivalent Full-Time

Equivalent Full-Time (EFT) measures the number of actual staff attached to a

Command and calculates the percentage of full time work that they perform (a full

time worker is of course calculated at 100%). It compares the ratio of workers

against the authorised strength for that Command.

This is particularly relevant to part-time workers who share the one SAP (computer

registered personnel) position. The rules relating to „position-sharing‟ highlight

workers can share the one position provided the occupancy remains under 199%

AND the Command is under Equivalent Full Time.

Command‟s therefore need to ensure that they consistently monitor Equivalent Full

Time staffing numbers for the whole of the Command, as well as rank and duty

type. To further explain this, if Command A is authorised to have 10 Sergeants,

they can-not exceed this number.

It is important to note that Equivalent Full Time does not take into account

whether officers can perform duties in a fully operational capacity.

Equivalent full time should never be greater than the authorised strength of any

Command. However, over recent years, the growth of „over-strength‟ positions at

Commands, to either create new positions or to „hold‟ officers awaiting exit from

the organisation, has seen a significant increase in equivalent full-time as

compared to authorised strength for some commands.

If the New South Wales Police Force were to move down the path of allocating staff

based solely upon Equivalent Full Time, those Commanders who are able to manage

their staff to minimise absences will be disadvantaged. Those Commanders who

are ineffective - if not held to account, would not have an incentive to ensure

absences were minimised through good management practices.

1 - Consideration of a third measurement tool - Operational Availability as a

percentage of Authorised strength

It is proposed that a more readily identifiable, transparent measurement of the

number of police operational at any given time (ability to „strap on a gun‟) in a

Command is a Command‟s „Operational Availability as a Percentage of Authorised

Strength‟ - which staff are actually available to perform full operational duties. In


17

determining this figure, absences in the Command must be taken into account.

These absences of course include; Long Term Sick - Hurt on Duty; Long Term Sick -

Non Hurt on Duty; Permanent Restricted Duties Officers; Number of Restricted

Officers (on Return to Work Plans/pregnancy protocol/conduct plans etc.,)/

Officers on Maternity Leave/ Long Service Leave/ Leave Without Pay/ Suspended

Officers/ Officers seconded out of the Command/ Vacancies.

The October 2010 report for the Director Human Resources concluded that

authorised strength itself was not a problem for a workforce allocation model.

“The authorised strength concept itself does not hinder the effective

implementation of a workforce allocation model, irrespective of the basis

of that model. Rather, it is the degree of flexibility to make changes to

positions that plays the key role in determining whether a workforce

allocation model can provide the optimum distribution of those positions.

Assuming the required degree of flexibility is available, the ability of the

organisation to then align its people with its positions becomes a product

of the various HR mechanisms used to facilitate the movement of staff

throughout the organisation, such as the transfer, tenure and promotion

policies and financial incentives”.

RECOMMENDATION TWO:

THAT ANY WORKFORCE ALLOCATION MODEL DEVELOPED BY THE NEW

SOUTH WALES POLICE FORCE TAKES INTO ACCOUNT AUTHORISED

STRENGTH, EQUIVALENT FULL TIME AND OPERATIONAL AVAILABILITY

AS A PERCENTAGE OF AUTHORISED STRENGTH (MINIMUM OF 90%

OPERATIONAL), AND ENSURES GREATER FLEXIBILITY IN DEPLOYMENT

OPTIONS.

RECOMMENDATION THREE:

TO ENSURE A TRANSPARENT MEASUREMENT OF THE

OPERATIONAL READINESS OF THE NSW POLICE FORCE,

COMPREHENSIVE MONTHLY HUMAN RESOURCE RETURNS FROM

EACH COMMAND UNIT BE MANDATORY. THESE RETURNS BE

SIMILARLY DETAILED AND COMPREHENSIVE AS THE MODEL

RECENTLY DISCONTINUED.


18

2 - First Response Agreements:

One of the major determining factors at the present time for staffing within Local

Area Commands is First Response Agreements (FRA‟s). FRA‟s are negotiated

between the Local Area Commander and representatives of the local branch of the

Police Association of New South Wales and set out the minimum number of staff to

be deployed to front line general duties on any given shift. The general basis of

FRA‟s is an average of one job per hour per car crew. Statistics to inform

negotiations are provided from the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system. Whilst

FRA‟s remain in existence, workload will remain as a major determinant in any

proposed Workforce Distribution Model. Other determinants may include, “…fixed

commitments, societal need, business case, strategic priority, and police to

population ratios” (12). Each determinant brings with it, its own strengths and

weaknesses and it may be that various models need to be applied to different

organisational units. Therefore preparing a new Workforce Distribution Model for

the New South Wales Police Force will be a major but very necessary piece of

work.

3 - Flexible rostering arrangements

Over recent years, much criticism has been levelled at „block‟ rostering of 12-hour

shifts. It is a debate which causes much angst within the New South Wales Police

Force. The Corporate Services Command recently reported,

“At times police Commanders are restricted in determining the deployment

of their workforce due to the reluctance of the Association to move away

from block rosters as well as fixed minimum staffing level position.

A new approach is required to be taken, for example, centralising the

development of governance of these arrangements, and enforcing or

enhancing current restrictions on the number of 12 hour shifts that can be

worked” (14).

This review has found that the Agreed Parameters for Flexible Rostering have not

been amended. Constant 12-hour shifts are provided for within the parameters at

clause 9:

“If constant 12 hour shifts are proposed, then such shifts shall be worked on

the basis of not more than two (2) consecutive night shifts, and not more

than three (3) shifts per week in any five (5) of a six (6) week cycle, with

four (4) shifts only being worked in the remaining one (1) week” (15).


19

Examination of police rosters has established that this clause is constantly ignored

across the State, with many officers working four (4) 12 hour shifts constantly.

There is anecdotal evidence of a lack of understanding by many Commanders of the

Agreed Parameters for Flexible Rostering, insufficient training for them to properly

negotiate a First Response Agreement, and, a general lack of appreciation for the

contents of the Crown Employees (Police Officer) Award(s), especially the Dispute

Resolution Procedures. This lack of training leaves these Commanders very

vulnerable in any negotiations with local representatives of the New South Wales

Police Association (PANSW) who are well trained in industrial matters.

RECOMMENDATION FOUR:

THAT TRAINING OF COMMANDERS AND OTHER RELEVANT OFFICERS

BE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED AS A MATTER OF URGENCY IN RESPECT

OF UNDERSTANDING THE AWARD; OTHER INDUSTRIAL AGREEMENTS;

THE POLICE ACT; INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS; AND, DISPUTE

RESOLUTION PROCEDURES.


20

TERMS OF REFERENCE TWO Examine Police Stations including; (a) All existing Police Stations opening hours, and which are

operational 24 hours a day

(b) Schedule of Stations to be sold

(c) Effectiveness of the current LAC structure especially in

Regional areas

(a) Existing police station opening hours and which are operational 24 hours

a day

The vast majority of police stations within the three Metropolitan Regions operate upon a 24 hour/7-day a week basis. The exceptions are:

CENTRAL METROPOLITAN REGION

Kingsgrove Monday to Friday 8am until 4pm

Woolloomooloo Open as per operational needs. Generally 6 officers rotating 12-hour shifts, but not open 24 hours.

Petersham

Open as per operational needs. Highway Patrol and Traffic Police operate from these premises, but not open 24 hours.

Menai Sunday to Thursday 6am to 10pm. Open continuously from Friday 6pm until Sunday 10pm.

NORTH WEST METROPOLITAN REGION

Blackheath Not operational. Police work from Katoomba Police Station.

Lawson Highway Patrol Office only.

Mt Victoria Not operational.

Pennant Hills Highway Patrol Office only

Wisemans Ferry

Two officer station – one residence – flexible shifts to meet demands, generally do not operate past 8pm any day.

Warragamba 7am to 5pm – one officer residential station.


21

SOUTH WEST METROPOLITAN REGION

Canterbury Not operational. Training facility only.

The Oaks One officer station facility.

Strathfield Open 8am to 5pm.

Eaglevale Open 16 hours per day.

Within the three Country Regions, most Police Stations are not 24-hour. Some

Local Area Commands do not have any 24-hour stations. The 24 hour stations that

exist are:

NORTHERN REGION

Brisbane Water Local Area Command Gosford Woy Woy 1 other non 24-hour station

Coffs/Clarence Local Area Command Coffs Harbour Grafton 15 other non 24-hour stations

Hunter Valley Local Area Command Muswellbrook Singleton 10 other non 24-hour stations

Lake Macquarie Local Area Command

Belmont Charlestown Toronto 3 other non 24-hour stations

Central Hunter Local Area Command Cessnock Maitland 7 other non 24-hour stations

Manning Great Lakes Local Area Command

Forster Taree 5 other non 24-hour stations

Mid North Coast Local Area Command Kempsey Port Macquarie 12 other non 24-hour stations

Newcastle City Local Area Command Newcastle Waratah 2 other non 24-hour stations

Port Stephens Local Area Command Nelson Bay Raymond Terrace 6 other non 24-hour stations

Richmond Local Area Command Ballina Lismore 12 other non 24-hour stations

Tuggerah Lakes Local Area Command The Entrance Toukley Wyong


22

Tweed/Byron Local Area Command Byron Bay Tweed Heads 5 other non 24-hour stations

SOUTHERN REGION

Albury Local Area Command Albury 12 other non-24 hour stations

Cootamundra Local Area Command Nil 24 hour stations 17 non-24 hour stations

Deniliquin Local Area Command Nil 24 hour stations 12 non-24 hour stations

Far South Coast Local Area Command Batemans Bay 11 other non-24 hour stations

Goulburn Local Area Command Bowral Goulburn 12 non-24 hour stations

Griffith Local Area Command Griffith 17 non-24 hour stations

Lake Illawarra Local Area Command

Kiama Port Kembla Warilla 4 other non-24 hour stations

Monaro Local Area Command Queanbeyan 13 other non 24-hour stations

Shoalhaven Local Area Command Nowra 6 other non 24-hour stations

Wagga Wagga Local Area Command Wagga Wagga 9 other non 24-hour stations

Wollongong Local Area Command Wollongong 2 other non 24-hour stations

WESTERN REGION

Barrier Local Area Command Broken Hill

7 other non 24-hour stations

Barwon Local Area Command Moree


Canobolas Local Area Command Orange


Castlereagh Local Area Command Walgett


Chifley Local Area Command Bathurst


23

Lithgow


Darling River Local Area Command Bourke


Lachlan Local Area Command Parkes


Mudgee Local Area Command Mudgee


New England Local Area Command Armidale Inverell 11 other non 24-hour stations

Orana Local Area Command Dubbo 8 other non 24-hour stations

Oxley Local Area Command Tamworth 14 other non 24-hour stations

There are a number of stations in the country Regions where the community is

bringing pressure to bear in respect of them becoming 24-hour/7-day a week

operational police stations:

Local Area Command Station/Current opening times

Brisbane Water Local Area Command Terrigal – staffed 12 hours per day

Coffs/Clarence Local Area Command

Maclean – currently 6am to 3.30pm – main „cluster‟ station for lower Clarence River. Residents are strongly agitating for 12 hour presence in the lower river area bounded by McLean, Iluka and Yamba

Mid North Coast Local Area Command Macksville – presently variants of 8 and 12 hour shifts per day

Richmond Local Area Command Casino – open 10 hours per day

Tweed/Byron Local Area Command Murwillumbah – open 20 hours per day – some local pressure to remain open additional 4 hours per day

Cootamundra Local Area Command Either: Cootamundra – open 16 hours per day, or Young – open 16 hours per day.

Deniliquin Local Area Command Deniliquin – presently open Sunday to Saturday 7am to 4am - variable

Far South Coast Local Area Command Bega – open 20 hours per day – some pressure by locals to remain open additional 4 hours per day

Goulburn Local Area Command Yass – presently open Sunday to Thursday for 18 hours per day, and Friday and


24

Saturday for 20 hours per day

Griffith Local Area Command Leeton – open 18 hours per day Narrandera – open 18 hours per day West Wyalong – open 16 hours per day

Monaro Local Area Command Cooma – open 18 hours per day

Shoalhaven Local Area Command Ulladulla – Sunday to Thursday open 17 hours, Friday and Saturday open 21 hours.

Canobolas Local Area Command Cowra – open either 16 or 20 hours per day

New England Local Area Command Glen Innes – open 18 hours per day Tenterfield – open 18 hours per day

Orana Local Area Command Wellington – open 16 hours per day

Oxley Local Area Command Gunnedah – open 16 hours per day

There are many other stations for which the community has made representations

for longer opening hours. Others have requested their police not continually be

required to undertake their shifts at the „head‟ stations. This is obviously, in many

cases, to meet First Response Agreements.

Some specific issues:

Local Area Command Issues

Eastern Beaches Local Area Command Randwick – counter inquiries only

Bankstown Local Area Command Bass Hill – counter inquiries only Revesby – counter inquiries only

Coffs/Clarence Local Area Command

Copmanhurst – almost all shifts in Grafton Ulmarra – almost all shifts in Grafton Wooli – almost all shifts in Grafton

Central Hunter Local Area Command Beresfield – calls for significantly more staff

Mid North Coast Local Area Command Kew – a training facility only

Newcastle City Local Area Command Carrington – Water Police only

Lake Illawarra Local Area Command Albion Park – open court days only Gerringong – shopfront only

In summary, there are many police stations throughout New South Wales where the

local community would like to see „their‟ police. Elsewhere in this report it is

strongly recommended that future allocations of graduates from the New South

Wales Police Academy be allocated on the basis of bringing all Local Area

Commands (or perhaps „patrols‟ in any future re-design) to an operational capacity


25

of a minimum of 90% of authorised strength. This will allow Commanders to review

the staffing at each of these smaller locations. As the Districts and Patrols are

created, emphasis must be placed upon local police remaining within their local

area, addressing local problems. Most importantly, it will assist Commanders to

allow officers to remain within, and patrol, those sectors to which they are

actually stationed. Please refer to the relevant recommendations.

Granted, there are many difficulties to be faced but reforms are never easy .The

ability to place officers back into local communities is lessened where positions

have remained vacant for long periods of time and stations and residences have

been allowed to deteriorate. Examples of this include Quandialla in the

Cootamundra Local Area Command, and Bigga in Goulburn Local Area Command.

There are many other stations and residences throughout regional New South Wales

which are in very poor condition.

(b) Schedule of Stations to be sold

Below are the 2010-2012 police premises planned for divestment. In keeping with

this Review‟s focus on local police to patrol local areas and solve local problems, it

is strongly recommended that an urgent review be undertaken. This is particularly

important as the loss of local police stations and residences in country areas (based

upon a city-centric centralised model) is completely contrary to the philosophy of

this report. People in country areas are entitled to the same level of service as

their city counterparts and, whilst the sale of stations and residences may make

sound economic sense to a city accountant, it makes no sense to the fabric of a

country community which is seeking the mantle of safety the New South Wales

Police can and should provide.

Scheduled for sale and settlement in 2010-11

Region LAC Property

Northern Lake Macquarie Wangi Wangi Police

Station

Scheduled for sale in 2010-11 and settlement in 2011-12

Region LAC Property

Central Metropolitan Eastern Surburbs Bondi residential apartments

North West Metropolitan Hawkesbury Former Windsor Police Station and residence

Northern Mid-North Coast Gladstone Police Station and residence

South West Metropolitan Camden Camden Police Station

Southern Lake Illawarra Warilla Police Station

Southern Wollongong Austinmer Police Station and residence


26

Southern Wollongong Scarborough Police Station and residence

Western Castlereagh Collarenebri residence ( x 4)

Scheduled for sale and settlement in 2011-12

Region LAC Property

Central Metropolitan Leichhardt Annandale Police Station

Central Metropolitan Leichhardt Leichhardt Police Station

Northern Lake Macquarie Boolaroo LAC building

Northern Lake Macquarie Cardiff Police Station

Northern Lake Macquarie Charlestown Police Station

South West Metropolitan Camden Picton police site (partial)

Southern Albury Cowora residence 1

Southern Cootamundra Adelong Police Station and residence

Southern Cootamundra Greenethorpe Police Station and residence

Southern Cootamundra Jugiong Police Station and residence

Southern Cootamundra Stockinbingal Police Station and residence

Southern Cootamundra Wallendbeen residence and paddock

Southern Deniliquin Barooga Police Station and residence

Southern Deniliquin Berrigan Police Station and residence

Southern Goulburn Binalong Police Station and residence

Southern Goulburn Tuena Police Station and residence

Southern Griffith Grong Grong Police Station and residence

Southern Griffith Whitton Park Police Station and residence

Southern Lake Illawarra Albion Park Holding Yard

Southern Wagga Wagga Wagga Wagga Police Station and residence

Western Mudgee Dunedoo residence 1


27

(c) Effectiveness of the current LAC structure especially in regional areas The issue of the effectiveness of the Local Area Command structure is

comprehensively detailed in Terms of Reference 4 (c) – Reform of the Structure of

the New South Wales Police Force „State Commander‟ and „District and Patrols‟

models.

RECOMMENDATION FIVE:

THAT AN URGENT REVIEW BE CONDUCTED OF THE

2010/2011 AND 2011/2012 POLICE PROPERTIES

DIVESTMENT PLANS IN LIGHT OF THE

REFORM/RESTRUCTURE BEING PROPOSED IN THIS AUDIT

REPORT.


28

TERMS OF REFERENCE THREE Examine Police Resources including (a) Allocation of Support Staff (b) Police and Other Staff in Specialist Commands (c) The allocation of capital equipment including police vehicles

(a) Allocation of Support Staff

The Deputy Commissioner Corporate Services has proposed the consolidation of

administration duties within „clusters‟ to service the current Region and Local Area

Command model of service delivery. A number of alternative models have been

considered, but each is generally based upon the presumption of the retention of

six (6) Regions within the Field Operations Command and eighty (80) Local Area

Commands.

The models generally vary in relation to the make-up of the administrative staff at

each location, the location of each cluster and the number of clusters provided for

each Region.

Shared Services and the proposal of the Region Administrative Services Model is in

response to the Corporate and Shared Services Reform Program (CSSRP), driven

through the Directors General Executive Committee. The CSSRP was established to

consolidate corporate and shared services in 13 cluster Departments through six (6)

shared service providers, including a rebuild of ServiceFirst as the multi-tenanted

provider. ServiceFirst is contained within the Department of Finance and Services

of the New South Wales Government. Implementation of the CSSRP is centrally led

through the development of standard processes technology, benchmarking and

realignment of workforce requirements. The CSSRP is driven through each

government agency‟s Corporate Services department.

The full scope of the New South Wales Police Global Savings Project was outlined

to the Commissioner‟s Executive Team in a presentation on 4 May 2010. Between

2009 and 2011, the New South Wales Police Force Equivalent Full Time (EFT)

commitment is 247 positions, including 118 for PSA award trade-offs.


29

The proposed savings for a longer period (2008 – 2011) are:

Clustering and rationalisation 244 - pending

Immediate removal of vacant positions 56 - delivered

Restructures including BTS 27 - delivered

Wagga Wagga Communications Centre 23 - delivered

Firearms Registry Efficiencies 30 - pending

TOTAL: 380 positions

Overall target savings for the New South Wales Police Force for the period 2008-

2011 are:

Efficiency dividends $54.2m

PSA award trade-offs $13.0m

TOTAL: $67.2m

Actually achieved, including salary and non-salary to 4 May 2010:

$21.7m

In short, the need to develop strategies to meet Global Savings Project targets led

to the development of the Region Administrative Services Model project. The

planned project outcomes are:

To deliver EFT savings through the rationalisation of 274 funded and

non-frontline EFT positions.

Review the current structures and administrative service delivery

models.

Present the models to CET (the Commissioner‟s Executive Team) for

approval.

Design a Implementation Plan and a Timetable.

Redesign structures, functional arrangements and position descriptions.

Re-engineer workflow, process and systems to reduce workload to

achieve efficiencies.

Implement the new administrative business delivery models.

Manage the voluntary redundancy and displaced officers process.


30

The consolidation of staff within existing Regional commands has not progressed.

Consideration should be given to reviewing the planned models in light of any

recommendations for re-structure that arise from this report. Potential savings

need to be re-evaluated in light of any considerations of re-structure.

(b) Allocation of Police and Other Staff in Specialist Commands

In 2009 the Deputy Commissioner Specialist Operations commissioned the Specialist

Operations Service Delivery Review 2009 – Non Sworn Support Functions (Review).

The review found “a number of common issues and findings affecting the majority

of Specialist Operations Commands.” These include:

Previous efficiency reviews have significantly impacted upon the ability

to provide administrative support functions to Specialist Commands and,

therefore, the ability to find more savings through the deletion of more

administrative positions.

Administrative support functions are not „standard‟ across all Specialist

Commands, and potential savings may be achieved by standardising the

structures. To progress this a proper workload analysis model is needed

to be developed and implemented.

“All Specialist Operations Commands have undertaken to cluster various

functions to achieve efficiency savings. However, there has been no

standard approach to the way clustering has been undertaken; no

strategic assessment of which functions are suited to clustering and

how best to cluster.”

RECOMMENDATION SIX:

THAT THE NEW SOUTH WALES POLICE FORCE SUSPEND THE

PROPOSED REGIONAL SERVICES DELIVERY MODEL IN LIGHT OF

ANY RECOMMENDATIONS OF THIS REPORT AS TO ANY REFORM

OR RESTRUCTURE.


31

Compliance with the Department of Premier and Cabinet decision to

„freeze‟ recruitment has meant the employment of contractors or

service providers at significant additional cost.

Some commands have „dual‟ supervision where sworn and non-sworn

officers appear to be undertaking similar roles, alongside each other.

Specifically Sergeant‟s and non-sworn Team Leaders appear to be

working side by side with Sergeants tasked to supervise sworn officers

and Team Leaders tasked to supervise unsworn officers. Potential exists

to absorb one position into another.

“A number of specialist customer services centres exist across and

within Specialist Operations Commands. This appears to have evolved

as various systems and services have developed, resulting in a range of

internal and external „help desk‟, „Service Centre‟ style arrangements

catering to various client bases. Potential opportunities exist to

achieve efficiency savings by amalgamating the functions of the „help

desk‟, „service centres‟ across Specialist Operations Commands.”

(c) The allocation of capital equipment, including police vehicles.

Capital equipment:

Generally, Commands were satisfied with equipment and the standard of

equipment provided to New South Wales Police, however themes within

submissions include:

Country LAC‟s are not funded for providing additional services such as the

SPSU, OSG, Negotiators, Rescue Squad and Crash Investigation Unit which

are separate units with the Sydney Metropolitan Area. This leaves these

units sometimes severely short of equipment.

RECOMMENDATION SEVEN

THAT THE NEW SOUTH WALES POLICE FORCE

DEVELOP A PROGRAM TO REVIEW AND, IF APPROPRIATE,

IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SPECIALIST

OPERATIONS COMMAND SERVICE DELIVERY REVIEW 2009.


32

There is too little flexibility in the fleet. Commands should be given

greater autonomy to decide on the best type of vehicle for a particular

duty.

There needs to be a review of fleet utilisation and location.

More work should be done to provide Commands with the ability to hire

local tradesman whom the Commanders believe can do a quality job at a

fraction of the costs charged by United Group Services sub-contractors.

The asset management and replacement practices need to be completely

overhauled. There is little, or no, mid to long term planning for the replacement

and upgrading of assets and technology. If the government and public want a

service that relies upon capital asset and technology deployment, a replacement

program needs to be adopted, endorsed and implemented.

The Police Association of New South Wales (PANSW) in its submission to this

Ministerial Audit provided a comprehensive list of responses from each of the

Branches in relation to requirements for capital equipment and police vehicles. The

following is the Region by Region breakdown as provided;

Police equipment issues (from the Police Association of New South Wales:


33

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOUR Make recommendations for;

(a) Allocation of additional police numbers as committed to by the

NSW Government

(b) Allocation of additional police resources e.g., Mobile Police

Command vehicles as committed to by the NSW Government

(c) Other opportunities to improve community service through the

reallocation of existing resources or improved police practices

(a) Allocation of Additional Police Numbers

All of the documentation including strongly argued submissions from Local

Members, Councils and Individuals as well as a majority of police submissions,

obtained during the course of this Review as well as the many interviews I

conducted with members of the community and police, identifies the real and

pressing need by regional commands for additional staff.

The lack of a transparent, all-encompassing workforce allocation formula in the

first instance specifically aimed at general duties, has led to calls of discrimination

by regional commands and communities over many years.

Now is the time for the New South Wales Police Force to respond to these calls and

seek urgent assistance and support from both within and externally, in other

jurisdictions and in the private sector to determine fair and equitable methods of

allocating all staff across the organisation. As I have proposed earlier in this

report, this process needs to be actioned as a matter of urgency.

Until this is done, the question of where the additional police numbers promised by

Government are to go, will remain unanswered, and a process continuing to be

devoid of fairness, equity and transparency.

In the meantime, at (c)(1) of this section (following), I propose providing relief to

LAC‟s across the State by allocating the Probationary Constables from ADPP

December 2011 Graduation Class on a „ minimum 90% operational strength basis‟.


34

(b) Allocation of additional police resources

My inquiries reveal that the allocation process for the allocation of additional

Mobile Police Command vehicles promised by the State Government has been

finalised and therefore I do not propose to pursue this further.

(c) Other opportunities to improve community service through the

reallocation of existing resources or improved police practices

1 - Proposed allocation of ADPP students graduating in November, 2011.

As I have indicated previously, there is an urgent need for further work to be done

with assistance from industry, for the formulation of a workload allocation model

which meets all of the requirements of the various sections and units within the

New South Wales Police Force.

It is accepted that this body of work will not be achieved overnight and therefore

must be thoroughly worked through, given the long history of this organisation in

attempting to identify such a model.

I strongly recommend that the working party responsible for this work be activated

urgently with the objective being to utilise it to allocate the Government pre-

election promise of additional police numbers by 2014.

In the meantime as a sign of good faith that there is meaningful intent in this

Audit, there is an excellent opportunity to provide a win/win proposition for

police in the field (especially in the regional areas) with additional numbers; and

the community, who are crying out for additional resources.

This proposal calls for the allocation of Police students attesting as Probationary

Constables from the New South Wales Police Academy in November 2011 to be

based on what I believe to be the fairest and most equitable „model‟ I can suggest

at this time. My objective is to increase each of the 80 Local Area Command‟s in

the State to an operational strength of at least 90% of its authorised strength.

Operational strength, as I have detailed elsewhere in this review, is defined as

inter alia, „those officers who can be deployed to the front line‟.


35

The following six tables graphically depict the respective Region‟s Local Area

Command‟s current „operational strength of authorised positions‟ in percentage

terms, and the number of Probationary Constables it is proposed to be allocated to

those LAC‟s to bring them to the 90% level minimum.

The figures relied upon for these calculations were provided by the Local Area

Commands to their respective Region‟s for compilation of the mandatory Monthly

HR Command Return held at Human Resources - Corporate Service Command. The

last such return was for the month ending June 2011;

South West Metropolitan Region

Local Area Command

Number of authorised positions

Current operational strength of authorised positions - %

Number of staff to be allocated to bring current operational strength to 90%

Ashfield 137 85.4% 6

Bankstown 272 87.5% 6

Burwood 145 86.2% 5

Cabramatta 133 91.7% 0

Camden 100 89.0% 1

Campbelltown 177 96.0% 0

Campsie 173 78.0% 20

Fairfield 196 88.3% 3

Flemington 221 86.4% 7

Green Valley 116 82.8% 8

Liverpool 186 89.2% 1

Macq.Fields 174 90.2% 0

Marrickville 129 86.0% 5

Rosehill 127 92.1% 0

Average: 88.7 TOTAL: 62

North West Metropolitan Region

Local Area Command




Blacktown 179 84.9% 9

Blue Mountains 118 83.1% 8

Eastwood 127 83.5% 8

Gladesville 106 85.8% 4

Hawkesbury 98 87.8% 2

Holroyd 144 91.0% 0

Kuring-Gai 170 82.4% 12

Manly 111 85.6% 4


36

Mt Druitt 181 85.6% 7

North Shore 139 92.1% 0

Northern Beaches

200 91.5% 0

Parramatta 212 92.0% 0

Penrith 172 89.0% 1

Quakers Hill 109 99.1% 0

St Marys 137 92.7% 0

The Hills 110 97.3% 0


Central Metropolitan Region

Local Area Command




Botany Bay 128 86.7% 4

City Central 253 90.9% 0

Eastern Beaches 186 83.9% 11

Eastern Suburbs 134 78.4% 15

Harbourside 153 75.8% 21

Hurstville 178 82.0% 14

Kings Cross 151 90.7% 0

Leichhardt 167 82.6% 12

Miranda 137 85.4% 6

Newtown 127 81.1% 11

Redfern 162 79.0% 17

Rose Bay 113 76.1% 15

St George 155 78.7% 17

Surry Hills 183 86.3% 6

Sutherland 165 85.5% 7

The Rocks 93 82.8% 6

Average: 83.5% TOTAL: 159

Northern Region

Local Area Command




Brisbane Water 236 79.7% 24

Central Hunter 179 81.1% 15

Coffs Clarence 193 79.3% 20

Hunter Valley 95 85.3% 4

Lake Macquarie 215 80.9% 19

Manning G/Lakes 118 87.3% 3


37

Mid North Coast 174 81.0% 15

Newcastle City 303 78.9% 33

Port Stephens 109 77.1% 14

Richmond 197 83.8% 12

Tuggerah Lakes 206 83.5% 13

Tweed Byron # 172 76.7% 22


Southern Region

Local Area Command




Albury 147 83.7% 9

Cootamundra 97 95.9% 0

Deniliquin 86 89.5% 0

Far South Coast 118 88.1% 2

Goulburn 168 91.1% 0

Griffith 127 85.8% 5

Lake Illawarra 233 89.3% 1

Monaro 135 88.1% 2

Shoalhaven 139 87.8% 3

Wagga Wagga 141 82.3% 10

Wollongong 213 85.9% 8


Western Region

Local Area Command




Barrier 105 89.5% 0

Barwon 102 90.2% 0

Canobolas 108 80.6% 10

Castlereagh 69 87.0% 2

Chifley 141 85.1% 6

Darling River 88 94.3% 0

Lachlan 82 93.9% 0

Mudgee 67 76.1% 9

New England 144 83.3% 9

Orana 143 80.4% 13

Oxley 132 82.6% 9



38

*This recommendation is simply a first step in a process that identifies

regional policing does require greater focus in allocation of resources into the

future - the 90% operational/authorised figures model does not take into

account any of the factors that defines country policing from metropolitan

policing discussed elsewhere in this document.

2 - Current Proposed Reduction in the number of LAC‟s

In February 2011, a presentation was made to the Commissioner‟s Executive Team

(CET) titled „Frontline Enhancement Strategy‟. The objectives of the strategy are;

maximise front line staffing, and

enhance field supervision. The method by which this was to occur was

the amalgamation of 20 Local Area Commands (LAC‟s) into 10. Eighteen

LAC‟s of the twenty slated for amalgamation were:

1. City Central/The Rocks

2. Botany Bay/Redfern

3. Eastern Suburbs/Rose Bay

4. Miranda/Sutherland

5. Manly/Northern Beaches

6. Gladesville/Eastwood

7. Kuring-gai/North Shore

8. Ashfield/Marrickville

9. Cabramatta/Green Valley

RECOMMENDATION EIGHT:

THAT THE ADPP CLASS ATTESTING FROM THE NSW POLICE FORCE

ACADEMY IN NOVEMBER 2011 BE ALLOCATED TO EACH LOCAL AREA

COMMAND THROUGHOUT THE STATE ON THE BASIS OF BRINGING THEM

UP TO A MINIMUM OPERATIONAL LEVEL OF 90 % OF ITS AUTHORISED

STRENGTH.


39

A further twelve LAC‟s were mentioned as „reserve options‟. It is unclear if the

nineteenth and twentieth LAC‟s to be amalgamated should come from this group.

There were:

1. St George/Hurstville

2. Kings Cross/Surry Hills

3. Leichhardt/Newtown

4. Quakers Hill/The Hills

5. Penrith/St Mary‟s

6. Burwood/Campsie

The show-stopper here from the point of view of the Audit is that there is no

consideration of incorporating the model in regional areas of NSW with the

exception being the Newcastle City LAC amalgamation and allied boundary change

to establish the Port Stephens and Central Hunter LAC‟s.

The presentation indicated a large financial saving would be achieved through a

decrease in the number of senior officers including Sergeants, Inspectors and

Superintendents; and a corresponding decrease in a number of Administrative

Officers.

The proposal to reduce the number of Local Area Commands from 80 to 70 is

included in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Commissioner of

Police and the Police Association of New South Wales signed on 13 November 2009.

Appendix 6 of the MOU reads as follows:

Appendix 6 – issues to be considered

A review of the boundary realignment in the Hunter resulting in the

creation of the Newcastle City LAC and the Port Stephens LAC and

boundary changes in the Central Hunter LAC

That any model by the product of widespread consultation with

field practitioners and the community

The rationalisation should be approached from the view that it adds

real value to front line policing

Adding value includes

o Improving the response times to calls for assistance

o Provision of more comprehensive support from both staff

internally and for the wider community in responding to calls for

assistance


40

o Demonstrably more effective co-ordination and control of

resources to address crime and community problems

o Agreed models of deployment of staff and resources that match

the prevailing operational environment of the proposed

Command area

o No loss of police vehicles or staff from locations

o No closure of police stations

The model should not disadvantage front line police or public

servants with regard to:

o Career development

o Increased workload

o Resources made available to them at a local level

o Accommodation

The model should ensure superior supervision and management of

staff – providing consistent formula for supervision/staff ratio‟s

across LAC‟s

The model should have sufficient staffing that includes response

policing, operational support areas (eg. custody, station service, &

investigation staff) and community support areas (traffic,

intelligence, youth, DV)

The only achievement in responses thus far to the MOU has occurred within the

Hunter area of the Northern Police Region with the establishment of Newcastle City

Local Area Command. This Command resulted from the merging of the previous

LAC‟s of Newcastle and Waratah, making it the largest LAC in terms of staff with an

„authorised strength‟ of 302.

This „pioneering development‟ of merging the two Commands making the

resultant LAC the largest in the State, deserves further discussion from a number of

viewpoints, as it has direct relevance to my proposal for reform. The background

and history of this merge can be traced back to 2005 when I was the Northern

Region Commander and at which time I released the „Northern Region Futures

Project‟. Unfortunately this body of work and its philosophy has never been

properly accepted by the senior executive of the NSW Police Force, and now six

years later the concept of that body of work - the need for the organisation to look

strategically at resourcing the whole of the State, and not just the metropolitan

area, based on the resource-related factors such as increasing populations etc., in

regional areas especially, applies even more so now in this current climate.

In simplistic terms, Newcastle City LAC was formed due in the main to the

inadequacies of the organisation properly resourcing the then Lower Hunter LAC


41

where staffing issues were identified locally, increasingly from 1997. This

Command extended from Port Stephens on the coast to the wine growing areas

west of Maitland, north to near Karuah and north-west to the Dungog/Gloucester

areas. Continual demands for additional numbers of police in this large, complex

and extremely busy LAC grew increasingly from Members of Parliament, community

members and the Police Association of NSW and although these were supported by

me at the time, additional resourcing was at best only piecemeal. In the absence of

any meaningful organisational support, in 2007 I established a working party

consisting of senior local police to attempt to find a local/regional solution to the

problem. The riding instructions to them was to focus on decreasing the size of

Lower Hunter LAC, through establishing a Port Stephens LAC and amalgamating

Newcastle and Waratah LAC‟s. I was extremely pleased to see the hard work of

that working party result in the establishment of Port Stephens LAC, Newcastle City

LAC and Central Hunter LAC in 2008.

The MOU provides further opportunities to:

Reduce the number of Local Area Commands, and generally

Review LAC structure in relation to deployment, supervision and support

The Human Resources Command of the New South Wales Police Force believes the

reduction in Local Area Commands should be twenty (20), not ten (10). It has

reported,

“Currently, within the NSWPF, there are 80 Local Area Commanders

(Superintendent), 376 Duty Officers (Inspector) and 80 Crime Managers

(Inspector). In noting similarities of management structure across the

State, it is highlighted that there are great disparities in the scope of

responsibility for which these management teams are accountable. Indeed,

Local Area Commands have authorised strengths that vary from 66 to 302.

It is proposed that there be a reduction of Local Area Commands from 80 to

60. This reduction would see a reduction in commissioned officer positions

and an identical increase in constable positions within the amalgamated

Command” and,

“The fundamental principles of any redesigned service delivery model

would be:

No operational police stations should close

A total focus on maximising frontline deployment

Identifying opportunities for increases in flexibility of

deployment


42

No individual would lose rank or benefits”.

It is estimated that potential financial savings over a three year period, from

boundary realignment and the reduction in the number of Commissioned Officers

would be $24.5m.

The review does not agree that the parameters, as outlined in the Memorandum of

Understanding should be binding. For example the increase in constable positions

from the decrease in commissioned officer positions would provide an opportunity

to move constable positions throughout the state. One of the issues with

Workforce Distribution Models is the reluctance to reduce authorised constable

strength from one LAC to assist another LAC. A freer distribution of the additional

constable positions created by re-alignment would go some way to overcoming this

problem and allow the New South Wales Police Force to increase constable

strength at LAC‟s of greatest need.

3 - Proposal for reform of structure of New South Wales Police Force

This review recommends that the work to reduce the number of Local Area

Commands and re-design service delivery should not be predicated on and limited

to, the sole need to meet the requirements of the 2009 MOU.

It is strongly recommended that there is no better time and opportunity than now

to effect real change, not only meeting those requirements incorporated in the

MOU but also to more than satisfy the core elements of this Ministerial Audit.

Now is the right time to usher in a reform of the structure of the New South Wales

Police Force.

RECOMMENDATION NINE:

ANY ACTION PROPOSED FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF THE

METROPOLITAN LAC AMALGAMATION MODEL (McKECHNIE REPORT) BE

SUSPENDED PENDING THE DECISION TO IMPLEMENT THE „DISTRICT AND

PATROL MODEL‟.


43

Why reform? If 17 crime categories are stable or falling, why do we need to reform?

The New South Wales Police Force is clearly a very effective organisation.

The question therefore that must be addressed is, “Are we efficient?”

Reform on the grounds of efficiency is perfectly legitimate.

The NSWPF is presently facing a financial crisis with respect to loss of staff, in the

main through psychological injuries. Clearly return to work efforts are not

efficient and certainly not effective. Workers Compensation Top-Up (Clause 9)

expenses during 2010/11 financial year reached $18.4m and workers compensation

premium reached $131.6m. Reform is needed in:

Workers Compensation Top Up, Workers Compensation and Death and

Disability

Injury management – including return to work – procedures

The development of leadership and technical skills (as studies have

shown most „medicalised‟ grievances stem from managerial issues.

The NSWPF as has already been identified, is required to make significant

employee related global savings. This, in itself, is more than sufficient reason to

review the current human resource structures within the organisation, including;

Local Area Command

Operations Command

Specialist Command and,

Corporate Service Command structures and interactions.

● LOCAL AREA COMMAND Proposed Implementation of the ‘District and Patrol Model’ as devised by

Superintendent Stuart Smith, a replacement for the LAC Model

Background

The current Local Area Command (LAC) structure, dependent upon the Duty Officer

model, First Response Policing Agreements (FRPA‟s) and a somewhat inflexible

approach to 12 hour block rostering, continues almost unchanged since its

implementation in 1997.


44

In numerous submissions received and discussions held during the course of this

Audit, it has been clearly spelt out to me that it is now time for a change. Many

police officers are eagerly looking forward to this Audit setting a strong platform

for constructive change to occur and for a return to basic community policing.

Strong submissions by regional (and metropolitan representatives as well) Local

Members and Shire and Council representatives have been received in large

numbers, advocating a return to community policing, and calling for an end to

having „their‟ local officer working all of his/her shifts in the bigger centre to fill

absences there. A recurring theme is that they are tax-payers as well and are

equally entitled to have the local police man or woman at their disposal, as is a

person living in bigger towns and the cities.

This Audit confirms all the fears that we had about the state of regional policing.

Local patrolling, being seen on a regular basis and having daily contact with the

community is a rarity in many of the smaller towns throughout regional New South

Wales. The use of „Eagle-phones‟- located at the small police „sectors‟ and which

allow members of the community to contact police in another centre where the

sector station is closed, has become endemic. It is no wonder that regional

community members are feeling like second class citizens.

„Clustering of sector policing‟ has similarly become endemic in regional New South

Wales, and there are many calls for this cost-saving measure to be stopped. Local

people just want to be able to speak to their local police.

Regional community members understand that cost-savings is at the core of the

style of policing they are being exposed to, and are generally genuinely supportive

of New South Wales Police. However, they desire a return to policing as they once

knew it, and similar to the many police I spoke to, are eagerly looking forward to

meaningful changes as a result of this Audit.

Regions are regularly criticised by operational police as being too large, and many

LAC‟s have been criticised as being too small. Common themes throughout the

submissions are that the current structure of Region/LAC‟s are too „top heavy‟ in

senior officers, and too focused upon being accountable for service delivery within

a boundary line rather than to the people of New South Wales at large.


45

The NSW Police Forces‟ body of work „Frontline Enhancement Strategy - Local Area

Command Amalgamations‟ produced by a team headed by Superintendent G

McKechnie- Commander Brisbane Water LAC, was presented to the Commissioner‟s

Executive Team (CET) on 9 February 2010. This document examines the various

options and issues surrounding the proposed amalgamations of Local Area

Commands agreed to as part of the Crown Employees (Police Officer) Award 2009

negotiations, and was part of the larger project initiated by Field Operations

Command - „LAC Amalgamation and Administration Clustering Project‟ in 2009.

The central theme to both Projects was encapsulated inter alia in the „Project

Scope‟;

„NSW Police Force has an ongoing commitment to implement change

programs that deliver administrative improvements and efficiencies.

Currently there is a need to identify opportunities to cluster and

rationalise administrative support functions for Local Area Commands. In

addition administrative efficiencies will be delivered through the

amalgamation of 20 Local Area Commands into 10 as agreed in Police

Award negotiations.‟

I commend the working party for the comprehensive analysis produced but feel it

does not go far enough. It is interesting to note that all amalgamations concern

only metropolitan Local Area Commands, and this is the major weakness of the

proposal. I suggest that the proposal is not strategic enough (if at all) because it

does leave out those regional areas, and is predicated solely on the purpose of

finding savings. Don‟t just change part of the organisation - if change is needed and

as we know it is mandated - then let the change be all-encompassing and make it

with the police AND the community as equal benefactors . All eighty LAC‟s need to

be incorporated in any change process and ultimately from the perspective of the

officers and rank and file, for it is fairer and more equitable to them and their

career aspirations not to mention their welfare, and the morale of the

organisation. Now is the time to grasp the nettle.

Before action is taken to implement part or all of the „Frontline Enhancement

Strategy - Local Area Command Amalgamations‟, I recommend that strong

consideration be given to the implementation of the „District and Patrol Model‟ as

devised by Superintendent Stuart Smith.


46

The Smith „District and Patrol Model‟ - Reform of the LAC Structure

On the 13th July 2011 Police Minister Gallacher in an interview with a Sydney

Morning Herald journalist outside Kings Cross Police Station, said inter alia,

„I‟ve got communities saying to me “Look, we‟ve had a police station

here for generations why is it that we no longer have the police that we

used to have working from the station”. There is no logical answer for it,

other than I think the structure is wrong.‟

And,

„What I‟ve asked the Audit to do is to challenge the structure and to say is

there a better way that we can actually deliver a service to the public and

is there a better way that we can actually introduce accountability in that

structure as well.‟

The strength of the District and Patrol Model being proposed herein is based on a

holistic community engagement, whilst ensuring our police have the solid platform

(the structure) to achieve it. The NSW Police Force needs to restructure to

resurrect „real‟ focus on the community. However, Murphy 2001 in his paper (The

Rationalisation of Public Policing in Canada) indicates;

„Traditionally, police managers have been reluctant to introduce

substantial internal change and innovation in response to political and

financial pressures, preferring instead to refine and rationalise existing

models and structures of management and organisation. The approach

avoids internal organisation conflict and maintains the ongoing delivery of

traditional types of police service. But declining resources coupled with the

same conventional service delivery mode invariably means delivering a

lower level of service owing to slower response times, less investigative

effort and less patrol coverage.‟

It is proposed that the current structure of eighty (80) Local Area Commands and

six (6) Regions will be replaced by 30 Districts each containing varying numbers of

Patrols, with Regions being devolved. The reform of the structure of Local Area

Commands into Patrols, operating within a smaller District will see a combination


47

of a minimum of 2, maximum of 4 Local Area Commands in each District. It is

proposed that there will be 12 Regional (country) Districts and 18 Metropolitan

Districts.

Current estimations, with more work needed, indicate the change from the current

Region/LAC model to a District and Patrol model would see financial savings in the

vicinity of approximately $40m. Much of these anticipated savings will be achieved

through rationalisation of the positions of Region Commander, Local Area

Commander, Duty Officer and Crime Management Units (CMU‟s).

The „shared Duty Officer model‟ currently in practice in metropolitan Regions

where one rostered Duty Officer provides a senior officer visibility across as many

as 3 LAC‟s on a given shift, has suffered significant criticism over the years and

caused reviews of their roles on three occasions. More recent times has seen the

introduction of the Duty Officer part-time portfolio model in areas such as human

resources and professional standards which, this review argues, are „specialised‟

roles which should be carried out full-time at the District level by carefully trained

and selected officers. The proposed District and Patrol model brings

professionalism back into the roles which directly serve local Patrol police. This

includes a Duty Operations Inspector who is available on duty or on call. With

District‟s being closer to service delivery within the Patrols, the positive aspects of

geographical ownership are still maintained.

Whilst further work needs to be done to bring this proposal to reality, the following

positive discussion points of the District and Patrol model are promoted and need

to be read in conjunction with organisational charts and process flows identified

(and to be viewed at the following pages noted) ;

For proposed District organisational chart see page 50

For proposed Patrol organisational chart see page 51

Patrols will not be dissimilar to that currently being utilised with one major

difference being the senior officer in charge of the Patrol (Commander) will

be a resident in the town and be expected to provide a 24 hour service as

required. He/She will have ownership responsibility.


48

Administrative processes will be conducted at the „District’ level – providing

local ownership and an ability for face to face problem solving; whilst

leaving the tactical deployment of police to the „Patrols‟ (See pages 52-53).

The radio communications network and ability to deploy officer‟s under one

coordinated radio channel is a concern of any proposed structural reform.

The proposed District and Patrol model realigns the NSWPF to a „District

channel co-ordination‟ operating model. The new CAD 2 MDT terminal

rollout will reduce the level of radio traffic by 70 percent and there will be

a reduction in radio operators realised in this process.

Emergency Management Arrangements do to not fit the current LAC/Region

structure or method of service delivery. Region Commanders have multiple

emergency districts and are known as District Emergency Operations

Controllers (DEOCON‟s) and LAC‟s have multiple local emergency

management areas previously addressed by Patrol Commanders and Sector

Supervisors as Local Emergency Operations Controllers (LEOCON‟s). There is

an opportunity, in considering this reform proposal, to better align

emergency management boundaries to local services.

The proposed District and Patrol model will fit within existing building

structures in NSW with an internal building project required to effect the

changes to some Districts.

Regional areas District-based scarce resources, without the tyranny of

distance will allow more effective targeting and high-visibility deployment.

A District Intelligence Model, Operations Manager and Scarce Resource

Manager position will ensure Scarce Resources are intelligence driven and

results reported broadly across the District, Patrols and Sectors.

(See pages 54 – 55)

Highway Patrol will be deployed tactically through the District Traffic

Inspector. Deployment will be co-ordinated by a Patrol & District traffic

management structure and EEP co-ordinators, allowing for intelligence-led


49

pro-activity including deployment to traffic black spots, not only within

their own Patrol boundary (See pages 56 -57).

For Human Resource (HR) Inspector process flow (See pages 58 - 59)

For Systems Inspector process flow (See page 60)

For District Detective Inspector process flow (See pages 61 -62)

For Operations Inspector process flow (See pages 63 - 64)

For Ethical Standards Inspector process (See pages 65 - 66)

In the proposed District and Patrol model that eagle phones are utilised the

way they were intended whilst Police are on the road. They should be

answered in the geographical location not diverted to a LAC or

communications hub or some other service hub due to Police not working

where they are actually stationed.

The introduction of the proposed model will allow for a review of First

Response Policing Agreements. One suggested future model is a move to

the implementation of a Minimum Operational Staffing Matrix to ensure all

stations are manned as a priority; not used as a backfill resource. Of

course, such a proposal needs to be subject to extensive negotiations and

careful costing.

Also commensurate with the proposals outlined in this review is

consideration of the recommendations (yet to be delivered) of the

promotions system review. It is recommended that the position of Sergeant

and Senior Sergeant be achieved through a combination of examination,

field based assessment and interview.

By applying the same Command model across the NSWPF would allow lateral

progression by Commanders and Inspectors within their District model and

broadly across the NSWPF. This will provide a strong performance based

assessment for any progression upwards in the force.


50


51


52


53


54


55


56


57

* Denotes possible Permanent Restricted Duties Officer


58


59

* Denotes possible Permanent Restricted Duties Officer


60


61


62


63


64

*Denotes possible Permanent Restricted Duties Officers


65


66


67

● FIELD OPERATIONS COMMAND, SPECIALIST OPERATIONS COMMAND AND

CORPORATE SERVICES COMMAND

Proposed implementation of the ‘State Commander’ model (commensurate with

proposed implementation of ‘District and Patrol’ model): additional positions of

State Commander, and Senior Assistant Commissioners (x5); disestablishment of

Deputy Commissioner Corporate Services position; disestablishment of the

Region Commander position (x6); disestablishment of Assistant Commissioner

(x5) - Major Incidents and Events Group; Human Resources; Operational

Communications and Information Command; Special Services Group and, Traffic

Services: additional position of Assistant Commissioner Transport and Traffic

Command to be established.

Current situation

In any organisational structure where there exists competition for resources within

internal departments, sections or units there is a risk that that competition can

have a detrimental effect on the effectiveness of one or all of those described

departments in the first instance and, ultimately on the health of the organisation

as a whole.

In some organisations these competing departments are referred to as „silos‟ and

the competition process gives rise to the term „silo effect‟.

It is clear to me from evidence obtained in this Audit through submissions received

and verbal accounts given, that there is a degree of the „silo effect‟ being felt by

many throughout the organisation. In an organisation which has service delivery as

its primary role, the „silo effect‟ can unfortunately detract from this objective, and

before this is allowed to continue it seems to me good business that the

organisational structure requires strengthening through reform.

To this end I propose the (re)introduction of the position of State Commander. The

title „State Commander‟ was a rank originally introduced by Commissioner Avery in

1987 with the advent of his restructure of the New South Wales Police Service

framed as „Regionalisation‟. At the time the previous rank Deputy Commissioner

(Administration) was disestablished and the then Deputy Commissioner

(Operations) became State Commander with management responsibility for four

newly created Regions and central support services and provided a tactical and

operational buffer for the Commissioner by becoming the second ranking officer in

the organisation.


68

The position was relegated in terms of seniority with the new position of Deputy

Commissioner being established in 1992 the year of the awarding of the 2000

Olympics to Sydney.

Interestingly, in terms of my proposal, the 1987 restructure also confirmed the

establishment of a total of 26 „Districts‟, each having a rank ranging from

Superintendent to Executive Chief Superintendent depending on the „relative size

and management responsibility‟.

The position of State Commander

The State Commander will be clearly seen as the second in charge of the

organisation, with Deputy Commissioner - Field Operations/Crime and Deputy

Commissioner Specialist Operations/Support directly reporting to him/her. It is

proposed that the position of Deputy Commissioner Corporate Services be

disestablished, with its corresponding commands and sections being distributed

between the office of the State Commander and the remainder to become the

responsibility of the Deputy Commissioner Specialist Operations/Support.

(See page 72 for a hierarchal organisational chart of the proposed State

Commander model)

As I have previously indicated there will be no equivocation by anyone especially

within the New South Wales Police Force, as to who is the second in charge with

this position. This itself has enormous benefits to the organisation and would

negate any conflicts which could occur with the present executive framework.

Other advantages I see include;

allows the Commissioner to become even more strategic without having to

deal with daily operational and tactical decision making, still remaining the

final arbiter

provides a clearer, more performance based career path to the role of

Commissioner for the Deputy Commissioner positions

provides the opportunity for more rounded development for the senior

executive members including rotations both internally and externally, which

at the same time will negate haphazard relieving opportunities

(See following pages 69 -71 for proposed JSR for State Commander position)


69

State Commander

Reports to:

The Commissioner of Police

Direct reports:

The Deputy Commissioner (Field Operations/Crime)

The Deputy Commissioner (Specialist Operations/Support)

The Manager, Strategic Projects

The Director, Executive Leadership

The Director, Financial & Business Services

The Commander, Professional Standards Command

The NSWPF General Counsel

The Director, Public Affairs

The Commander, Performance Improvement & Planning

Key attributes:

Demonstrated strategic leadership and management capability to drive and

achieve the strategic objectives for the New South Wales Police Force in

keeping with community and government priorities and expectations

Demonstrated knowledge of governance processes and proven command,

control and co-ordination capability

Proven ability to develop and oversee successful policing initiatives covering

the full range of policing responsibilities, including frontline initiatives to

deal with dysfunctional behaviour and violence in public and domestic

settings

Excellent written and verbal communication skills; including the capacity to

provide the regular public face of the organisation to the community in

respect of current operations, future initiatives and performance


70

Demonstrated insight relative to all facets of policing and emergency

services management; including remote community engagement and rural

and remote service delivery initiatives

Demonstrated ability to build capacity and capability across the

organisation, encourage the professional development of members and

ensure the strength of leadership succession

Personal qualities reflecting the highest standards of integrity, sound

judgement and personal behaviour, reflecting the New South Wales Police

Force core values of:

Excellence, Trust, Honour, Impartiality, Commitment, Accountability, and

Leadership

Key Capabilities:

Communicates with influence

Exemplifies personal drive and integrity

Shapes strategic thinking

Achieves results

Cultivates productive working relationships

Key Accountabilities:

Reporting to the Commissioner of Police, the State Commander will ensure a

coordinated response to the key New South Wales Police Force services of:

Responding to crime, emergencies and other calls for assistance

Investigating crime, detecting and prosecuting offenders

Patrolling identified crime hotspots, providing a police presence at public

events and contributing to the security of critical infrastructure

Provision of response services by land, air and sea

Patrolling roads, waterways and public transport corridors, and the

investigation of major traffic crashes

The State Commander will also ensure a co-ordinated response to achieving the

targets set within the New South Wales Police Force Corporate Plan of:

Crime:

Reduced rates of crime, particularly violent crime


71

Public Safety:

Reduced perception and fear of crime

Reduced levels of anti-social behaviour

Safer public transport and roads

Community & Partners:

Increased community confidence in police

People:

Enhanced capabilities

A safe and supportive work environment

Systems:

Improved organisational capability to deliver our services

Leadership:

Clear direction and support

The State Commander will also:

Provide sound people management based on equity principles and the

achievement of specified EEO outcomes

Promote positive Occupational Health and Safety Management in NSW Police

Ensure all staff are aware of their responsibilities in relation to

Aboriginal/Police relationships

● ● ●


72


73

Disestablishment of the Deputy Commissioner Corporate Services position

The Corporate Services position within the senior executive has been held variously

by sworn and un-sworn members. In 2005/6 Ms Fran McPherson was employed in

the position at SES Level 7, one below the then Commissioner and significantly, at

a level above the then two Deputy Commissioners. The position returned to a

sworn member in August 2009 when Assistant Commissioner C Burn APM relieved in

the position before being appointed in 2010.

Currently the Deputy Commissioner Corporate Services is responsible for a total

staffing complement of (authorised) 326 personnel, which includes the pivotal

strategic positions of Human Resources, Education and Training and Finance &

Business Services.

In answering the Minister‟s desire for the Audit to „challenge the structure‟ and,

respond to criticisms that the Force is „top heavy‟ in senior officers, it is clear from

an analysis of the figures alone that having a Deputy Commissioner responsible for

326 staff (2 of whom are Assistant Commissioners), when you have the remaining

two Deputy Commissioners responsible for 15,557 staff or 97% of the New South

Wales Police Force, that the rank structure is imbalanced and in need of reform.

The proposed rank structure is more conducive to the responsibilities expected of

persons at senior SES level with better efficiencies and more leadership direction

being achieved by the establishment of the State Commander position in lieu of the

Deputy Commissioner Corporate Services position.

Let us not forget also that „global savings‟ are expected and that not every senior

position should be seen as quarantined and/or sacrosanct.

Deputy Commissioner Field Operations/Crime position; Three newly

established positions of Senior Assistant Commissioner Regional (Country) -

SACR, Senior Assistant Commissioner Metropolitan - (SACM), and, Senior

Assistant Commissioner Crime - (SACC)

I propose the implementation of the „District and Patrol’ model to coincide with

the implementation of the „State Commander’ model as close as it can be

achieved. This means that 30 new Police „Districts‟ will be formed and that the


74

position of Region Commander will no longer exist. This is in keeping with the

Minister‟s view that the organisation is „too top heavy‟, too much „top brass‟.

With the devolution of the Region Commander position comes the increase in

responsibility and accountability on the new „District Commander’.

I propose the District Commander to be at the rank of Chief Superintendent or

Executive Chief Superintendent (SES).

Under the „District and Patrol‟ model it is proposed there be twelve (12) regional

(country) Districts;

Brisbane Water/Tuggerah Lakes;

Lake Macquarie/Newcastle City;

Hunter Valley/Central Hunter/Manning Great Lakes/Port Stephens;

Mid North Coast/Coffs Clarence;

Richmond/Tweed Byron;

New England/Oxley/Barwon;

Lake Illawarra/Wollongong;

Monaro/Far South Coast/Shoalhaven;

Albury/Deniliquin/Griffith/Barrier;

Cootamundra/Wagga Wagga/Goulburn;

Mudgee/Darling River/Castlereagh/Orana;

Chifley/Lachlan/Canobolas.

It is proposed that there be eighteen (18) metropolitan Districts;

Blacktown/Mt Druitt/Quakers Hill;

Botany Bay/Newtown/Redfern;

The Hills/Eastwood/Gladesville/Kur-in-gai;

City Central/The Rocks;

Kings Cross/Surry Hills;

Eastern Suburbs/Eastern Beaches/Rose Bay;

North Shore/Harbourside;

Northern Beaches/Manly;

Flemington/Burwood;

Leichardt/Ashfield/Marrickville;

Bankstown/Campsie;

Rosehill/Holroyd/Parramatta;


75

Camden/Campbelltown/Macquarie Fields;

Blue Mountains/Penrith/St Marys/Hawkesbury;

Cabramatta/Fairfield;

Green Valley/Liverpool;

Hurstville/St George;

Miranda/Sutherland.

(For detailed discussion of the „District and Patrol‟ model see pages 46 - 66 of this

report)

To ensure that a heightened focus on regional policing is achieved and importantly

maintained, and to provide the Deputy Commissioner Field Operations/Crime with

the support required to manage and lead personnel under his/her responsibility, I

propose the establishment of the position of Senior Assistant Commissioner -

Regional (Country) - (SACR).

The same reporting structure, responsibilities and accountabilities will apply to the

establishment of the new position of Senior Assistant Commissioner -

Metropolitan - (SACM).

Both these positions will be located physically adjacent to each other, giving equal

focus and attention to country and metropolitan Field related issues together.

Further, I propose that each Senior Assistant Commissioner assume the more

relevant Corporate Spokespersons roles where it applies to their responsibilities,

for example the portfolios of Aboriginal Spokesperson, and Rural Crime be

assumed by the SACR, and equal distribution of these and other portfolios be

apportioned to each of the SAC‟s.

The new established position of Senior Assistant Commissioner Crime (SACC) will

be physically located in the same area as the SACR and SACM.

This position will have as direct reports; State Crime Command, Counter Terrorism

Command (minus State Protection Group), Undercover Branch, State Surveillance

Branch, State Technical Investigation Branch and Telecommunications Interception

Branch.


76

This is a far more effective „fit‟ with crime commands and the front-line

operational arm now being located in the same organisational stream. This fit also

responds to the many calls over recent years that SCC and CTC have become

„elitist‟ in their outlook and responses to demands for service from the field

especially regional New South Wales.

These three positions clearly provide a buffer between the District Commanders

and Crime Commands and the Deputy Commissioner, allowing that position to

become more strategic in outlook and responsibilities and less involved in the

myriad of daily operational issues currently impacting on that position. At the same

time, the presence of the three SAC‟s together in the one location, providing a

collegiate leadership approach and discussing operational and tactical issues daily

with a focus on more effective responses to the front line, sends a very clear

message that the front-line is the real winner in this reform.

Deputy Commissioner Specialist Operations/Support and two new established

positions of Senior Assistant Commissioner-Specialist Operations (SACSO) and

Senior Assistant Commissioner-Support (SACS)

I propose the new establishment positions of Senior Assistant Commissioner

Specialist Operations (SACSO) and Senior Assistant Commissioner Support (SACS),

for all the same cogent reasons explained in the similar positions proposed within

the Deputy Commissioner Field Operations/Crime stream.

In relation to the disestablishment of the Assistant Commissioner

Specialist/Corporate positions as I have detailed, the proposal is not only driven by

need to identify global savings, but also to introduce more overt fairness and

equity across the organisation by relating responsibility with complexity of role.

Each of the positions I have identified for disestablishment of rank to the next level

(at minimum Superintendent) does not imply the respective roles are diminished -

simply the role of District Commanders needs to be elevated because of the

responsibility and complexity and sheer weight of numbers coming under their

command.

With the expected implementation of the Transport Command (with an Assistant

Commissioner in charge and comprising some 600 plus personnel) it is apparent to

me that combining this command with the Traffic Services Command (with an


77

Assistant Commissioner in charge and a staffing complement of 154) results in

better efficiencies then is currently being achieved.

I propose that one Assistant Commissioner be given responsibility for the combined

Transport/Traffic Command, and should sit within the Deputy Commissioner

Specialist Operations/Support report structure, in the „Specialist‟ stream.

RECOMMENDATION TEN:

THAT THE LOCAL AREA COMMAND MODEL BE

REPLACED BY THE „DISTRICT AND PATROL‟ MODEL AS

DEVISED BY SUPERINTENDENT STUART SMITH AND

COMPREHENSIVELY DETAILED IN THIS AUDIT REPORT

RECOMMENDATION ELEVEN:

THAT THE „STATE COMMANDER‟ MODEL AS DETAILED

COMPREHENSIVELY IN THIS AUDIT REPORT BE

IMPLEMENTED IN ITS ENTIRETY


78

The „District and Patrol‟ model and the „State Commander‟ model - The way

forward

Attached hereto is a series of GANTT charts depicting a step by step guide to the

way forward. Obviously the „steps‟ may change as the change project develops

and priorities compete, however the chart is helpful as a base-line tool.

(See pages 80 - 85)

Do not lose momentum

This review report is delivered at a point in time on a continuum of planning for

change. Much more work needs to be done and it is recommended that the work of

reviewing submissions and developing options for the New South Wales Police Force

does not cease. Obviously the implementation of change initiatives will depend

upon the acceptance or otherwise of the recommendations of this report. What is

perhaps more certain is that change is on the way for the New South Wales Police

Force and, now that planning has commenced in the form of the preparation of this

report, it is strongly recommended that no „gap‟ in the planning cycle is allowed to

develop.

Change agent

In that regard, it is strongly recommended that a senior officer of the New South

Wales Police Force be appointed as a change agent to continue the work; to

continue to review and develop all that which has underpinned this review. This

person should be someone generally respected throughout the organisation and

experienced in providing high level advice to both the New South Wales Police

Force and the New South Wales Government. This person will then be ready and

able to drive the change in whatever the direction the government finally decides.

The first step

Whilst the change agent is a critical part of the change process, that officer will

need to be supported at the highest levels of the New South Wales Police Force and

not be tied down between the competing interests of the three „silo‟s‟ described

earlier in this report. The obvious person at that level is the person who eventually

fills the proposed position of State Commander. In this respect then, the

appointment of the State Commander should be the first step in the change

process. The State Commander, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police and the


79

State Government, will be the final arbiter in any disputes a large change process

such as this being proposed will inevitably produce.

Oversight committee

To assist the State Commander, the Commissioner of Police and the appointed

change agent, this review recommends the establishment of an oversight

committee which can recognise and deal with individual and group subjectivities

and bias and ensure the change process remains „on track‟. This committee will

also be able to provide advice and guidance to the State Commander and the

change agent as time progresses. A suggested oversight committee might be made

up of:

The Commissioner of Police,

The Minister for Police and Emergency Services, or his representative.

Two respected members of the community, one regional and one from

metropolitan and,

The author of this report who is able to provide advice and guidance as to

the context and detailed background in which certain recommendations

have been made.

RECOMMENDATION TWELVE:

ON APPROVAL GIVEN FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF

THE „DISTRICT AND PATROL‟ MODEL AND THE „STATE

COMMANDER‟ MODEL THAT THE ATTACHED GANTT

MILESTONE CHART BE UTILISED TO DRIVE THE

REFORM PROCESS

RECOMMENDATION THIRTEEN:

THE STATE COMMANDER POSITION BE FILLED IN FIRST

INSTANCE FOLLOWED BY THE APPOINTMENT OF A

SENIOR SERVING POLICE OFFICER TO PERFORM THE

ROLE OF „CHANGE AGENT‟

RECOMMENDATION FOURTEEN:

AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE CONSISTING OF

COMMISSIONER OF POLICE; MINISTER (POLICE) OR HIS

REPRESENTATIVE; TWO RESPECTED MEMBERS OF THE

COMMUNITY (ONE RURAL,ONE METROPOLITAN); AND,

AUTHOR OF REPORT BE APPOINTED BY MINISTER FOR

POLICE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES


80


81


82


83


84


85


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4 - Police Properties

The issue of police properties caused many submissions to the review. Common

themes generated from the submissions include:

More investment is needed to maintain properties at an acceptable

standard, especially police housing.

Underfunding should not be a catalyst for divestment.

Cyclical maintenance should be a reality.

The timeliness of repairs is of concern.

Poor standards of housing mean that rural and remote areas may not be

able to attract police to live and work in the community. This is a major

issue for those communities.

Generally, the age of housing stock is of a concern, requiring even more

frequent maintenance.

The use of United Group for maintenance is at times challenging and

frustrating in patching over problems which will need further attention in

the near future. It is clear that their capacity to meet the maintenance

needs for the organisation is grossly overstated in terms of capability and

costs apportioned to activities. The re-establishment of Properties Branch

may assist in redressing this area.

The Police Property Portfolio:

On 30 March 2006, the Honourable Carl Scully, Minister for Police, signed a Deed of

Guarantee, Undertaking and Substitution with United Group Limited (UGL) and

United Group Services Pty Ltd (UGS) to carry out the police property portfolio.

This is referred to as the Police Property Portfolio Management Services Contract.

In early 2011, the New South Wales Government decided to extend the contract for

a further 2 years, with revised Key Performance Indicators (KPI‟s).

The Minister for Police is the Principal in the contract, UGL is the Guarantor and

UGS is the Contractor.

Part 3.2 of the Contract (page 16), requires the Contractor to prepare a Property

Portfolio Strategic Plan (PSP) for each year. This is then submitted to the

Principal. The Contractor is required to have a PSP prepared by 30 June each year

and consults with the New South Wales Police Force during the preparation of each

PSP.


87

Part 3.3 (page 17), also requires the Contractor to prepare and submit an

Individual Asset Plan for each property included in the Property Portfolio on or

before 30 June each year.

Within the original contract, at Annexure 7 is an Outline Risk Management Plan. In

respect of hazardous materials, the following is recorded at page 5:

Risk Descriptor Target Risk

Assessment

Risk Template

Strategies Accountability

6. Departure or

deviation from

required safety

and other

standards of

operating for

facilities

Likelihood:

Certain

Consequences:

-Financial:

Moderate

-Compliance:

High

-Operational:

Moderate

-Reputation:

High

*Formal compliance

analysis for all sites

*Site inspections,

analysis routines to

identify existing

standards

*Notification of

exceptions/potential

for exceptions to

issues/incident

database

The Contractor

Part 15.3 of the Contract allows the Contractor to engage sub-contractors

One of the major incentives for police to travel to rural and remote locations is

their ability to move into police housing at a reduced rental. This is just one

reason it is imperative that police residences be maintained at an acceptable level.

This review has had access to the „final draft‟ of the New South Wales Police

Property Portfolio Strategic Plan (PSP) 2010/2011 dated 26 May 2010. The reason

for the draft strategic plan is outlined at page 4 of the document:

“This draft Portfolio Strategic Plan (PSP) has been prepared in accordance

with Section 3.2 of the Contract between the NSW Minister for Police and

United Group Services Pty. Ltd. The PSP covers the period from 1 July 2010

to 30 June 2020 to align with the planning timeframes of NSW Police Force

(NSWPF) and its Total Asset Management Plan (TAM). The final draft of the


88

plan is required to be delivered by 31 July 2009 and formal endorsement is

required by 31 May 2010.”

The PSP identifies that the current properties approach involves a shortfall in

funding which will result in “No preventative maintenance programs” and

“Compliance liabilities” (page 21). It further states:

“It (the PSP) does not allow for the maintenance of the portfolio or any

significant allowance to address compliance issues within the portfolio.

These must be addressed, preferably immediately, but certainly over time.

The holding strategy is a short-term solution attempting to allow the

portfolio to operate within the funding allocated to it. Deferring adoption

of a fully funded approach will only exacerbate the condition of the

portfolio and lead to a more expensive remedy” (page 26).

The PSP calculates that the funding available during 2010/2011 for OHS Compliance

(identified from compliance reports) is nil, with corresponding compliance risks

(page 42). The compliance reports are referred to at page 43 under the heading

Compliance Management Program:

“The initial round of property inspections undertaken in 2006-07 revealed

that in a lot of properties there were gaps in a number of compliance and

environmental obligations. To assess these gaps and to provide advice on

remediation strategies an open tender was run in August 2007 and Coffey

Environments Pty Ltd was the successful tenderer.

The project involves preparation of a Property OH&S and Risk Report and a

Register of Hazardous Materials Report for each property. The reports

grade risks as extreme, high, moderate and low assessed against relevant

sections of OH&S and Dangerous Goods Regulations, the Building Code of

Australia and applicable Australian standards. The reports recommend

remedial actions with suggested timeframes of 0-12 months, 0-18 months

and 0-24 months for high, moderate and low risks respectively. Any

extreme risks are reported and actioned immediately. At the date of this

PSP, only ten extreme risks had been identified and actioned from some

700 properties inspected.

Compliance items identified can be generally categorised as either

procedural: in that changes are required to how occupants behave; or


89

interventionist: where rectification or new works are required. The

majority are in the former category and most items do not require asset

related expenditure to remedy, but will require investment in education

and change management programs to inform occupants and amend current

practices. These programs could be combined with similar programs

relating to energy usage.

The table below shows the number of issues falling within each of the

categories, comprising the assessments of the 707 properties reported to

date. Of these, some 2690 items have been assessed as high (risks)” (page

43).

Category Total

Number

High

Risks

Access & Egress 1691 208

Amenities & Facilities 603 44

Building Safety & Management 1228 689

Fire Safety & Emergency 1499 1061

General Electrical & Lighting 446 77

Hazardous Substances and Dangerous Goods 205 63

Indoor Air Quality 315 119

Occupational Noise 25 6

Plant and Machinery 133 51

Security 457 210

Safety Signage & Posters 71 7

Other issues 558 152

In summary, the Contract between the Minister for Police and UGL and UGS

identifies the certainty that O.H. & S. obligations will not be met. The 2010/2011

PSP further identifies this, with associated compliance risks. The result of such an

approach, year in and year out, is that police residential premises are not

maintained, they continue to deteriorate, and risks associated with asbestos and

lead paint are not addressed. It is of note that this approach is not by


90

happenstance; it is the identified holding strategy of the Contractor and the New

South Wales Police Force.

Further, many submissions to this review have revolved around the lack of urgent

and minor repairs being addressed at the local level in a timely manner (sometimes

not at all). Many other submissions revolved around the use of sub-contractors to

carry out repairs and maintenance. The issues with regards to sub-contractors are:

1. Timeliness,

2. Quality of work (including quality inspections not being carried out),

3. The distance some contractors need to travel (for example the mowing

contractor for Bourke comes once a month from Queensland), and

4. The fact that locally available contractors, who could be employed much

cheaper, are overlooked.

On 26 May 2010, United Group produced the 2010-2020 Property Portfolio Strategic

Plan (final draft) on behalf of the New South Wales Police Force. This ten year plan

includes the aim of:

“Taking positive steps to bring the design and effectiveness

of NSW Police Force Buildings into the 21st Century.”

The plan claims that the centralisation of property control and the outsourcing of

management services has been a success. [Note: This is in extreme contrast to

submissions from officers and Commanders in the ‘Field’.]

The report also states,

“The gap between what should be, and what is,

spent on maintenance is estimated at $15m.”

Half the property portfolio is over 40 years and a quarter of it is over 90 years old.

It has not kept pace with the evolution of the NSWPF‟s operations and staffing.

Comprehensive analysis including interviews with relevant personnel was

conducted during the course of this review and the following major issues were

discovered:


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An existing backlog of maintenance works estimated at $25m (based

upon condition assessments and indicative work estimates).

By July 2011 there will be an estimated $13m outstanding in minor

capital works, and

A compliance liability indicatively estimated at $15-$20m.

Continuation of this funding approach will mean buildings will

increasingly be unable to support NSWPF operations. This has already

begun to occur in the residential portfolio particularly as a more

demanding user group demographic emerges with higher expectations

for quality accommodation to offset living in perceived disadvantaged

and unattractive rural locales.

The Holding Strategy:

An ideal NSWPF Property Portfolio would be a mix of well maintained aged and

modern facilities ensuring a satisfying and safe work environment. The ideal would

align operational demand, property assets and budget with an outcome of having

the correct buildings in correct locations to effectively support operations. It would

include:

Funded Programmed Maintenance plans.

Future Capital Plan to deliver buildings of the future, and

Modern Housing to meet the expectations of the officers.

It will take a considerable number of years of sustained recurrent funding above

existing levels to reach the ideal. This is because fully funding the portfolio means

fully funding the maintenance component as well as the other recurrent

components, making capital injections with the result that gradually, over time,

the standard of the assets will increase.

Implicit in fully funding the maintenance component is moving towards an

increased rationale of expenditure on predictive maintenance which will in time

reduce the expenditure on reactive maintenance and produce a more reliable

property asset.

However, it is assumed there will be no extra funding for the property portfolio,

and, even with full funding, it will take many years to achieve the ideal situation.

As such NSWPF needs to adopt a holding strategy in relation to the portfolio which:


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Maximises capital and recurrent expenditure in the portfolio on those sites which

best support operational policing and minimises expenditure on lower priority

sites until funds become available to address the issues of those sites.

In other words, use the expected budget of $86.96m (2009/10 budget escalated by

2.5%), almost exclusively, on the more important sites of the portfolio.

Principles

To drive this holding strategy, this PSP adopts the following principles:

Direct capital & recurrent budgets to sites returning the highest “service

delivery” payback;

Defer substantial investment at low priority sites until funds become

available to address the issue at those sites;

Relocate from leased Police Stations to owned;

Co-ordinate divestments with new builds;

Release capital from sites with a greater alternative use;

Optimise usage of local contractors; and,

Quarantine funds to facilitate upgrading of the residential portfolio.

The implications for NSWPF are to recognise:

A number of sites will have no substantial expenditure; use of some will

need to be reduced to an absolute minimum of activity; and

There is no provision for any new operational or property initiatives unless

the property components of those initiatives are fully externally funded;

there is no capacity within existing portfolio funds.

The chance of success with this holding strategy is dependent on the

strategy receiving the same level of ministerial and organisational

ownership as that provided to the commitment to the construction and

refurbishment of the 27 police stations announced in May 2004.

Compliance & Sustainability:

The portfolio has a back log in its level of compliance with statutory and

government energy policies and the holding strategy do not remedy this position.

Property OH&S and Risk Reports and Register of Hazardous Materials Reports are

being prepared for each property and compliance issues categorised as extreme

risks during this process are being addressed as discovered. The majority of gaps in

compliance can be generally categorised as procedural and require changes to how


93

occupants behave. These do not necessarily require asset related expenditure to

remedy, but will require investment in education and change management

programs to inform occupants and amend current practices. The effectiveness of

these programs could be optimised by including similar programs relating to energy

usage.

The holding strategy does not provide scope for the implementation of initiatives

to reduce energy use. NSWPF‟s energy usage in 2007/08 was some 8% higher than

its usage in 1999/2000 which is the target usage level to be achieved by 2019/20

under the NSW Government sustainability policy. Plans have been developed for

three of the larger sites but have not been implemented due to availability of

funds.

Submission of the Police Association of New South Wales:

Following surveys of their members, the Police Association of New South Wales

made submissions from which the following themes may be drawn:

Many police premises are old and require significant maintenance.

The maintenance budget is presently insufficient.

Security, including CCTV and lighting, is excellent at some locations but

practically non-existent at others and these needs to be urgently addressed.

In many stations, space is insufficient with not enough lockers, desks and

other equipment, causing overcrowding in some circumstances.

New South Wales Police Force Headquarters at Parramatta is overcrowded.

Conclusion

The proposed holding strategy provides for the portfolio function within the

allocation and sets in place a sequence of events to get out of leases and build or

refurbish a number of police stations. It does not allow for increased expenditure

on maintenance of the portfolio; this must be addressed, preferably immediately,

but certainly over time. As its name suggests, it is not a long term solution for the

portfolio.


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RECOMMENDATION FIFTEEN:

THAT A STRATEGIC TEAM FROM WITHIN THE NSW POLICE FORCE

REPRESENTATIVE OF OFFICERS DRAWN FROM ACROSS THE

ORGANISATION, TO REVIEW THE PROPERTY ISSUES AND MAKE

RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE PRINCIPAL

RECOMMENDATION SIXTEEN:

THAT MINOR AND URGENT WORKS BE DELEGATED TO POLICE AT THE

LOCAL LEVEL TO ENGAGE LOCAL QUALIFIED CONTRACTORS TO

COMPLETE THIS WORK, AND THAT FUNDING BE MADE AVAILABLE AT

THE LOCAL LEVEL FOR THIS TO OCCUR

RECOMMENDATION SEVENTEEN:

THAT POLICE PREMISES BE BOUGHT UP TO AN ACCEPTABLE

STANDARD AS A MATTER OF URGENCY AND THAT FUNDING BE MADE

AVAILABLE FOR THIS TO OCCUR

RECOMMENDATION EIGHTEEN:

THAT THE NEW SOUTH WALES POLICE FORCE FORMS A POLICE

HOUSING AUTHORITY SIMILAR IN OPERATION TO THE TEACHER‟S

HOUSING AUTHORITY


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5 - Escorts undertaken by police on behalf of the New South Wales Department

of Juvenile Justice

In 2008 an agreement was entered between the Department of Juvenile Justice and

the New South Wales Police Force whereby, when Juvenile Justice Centres were

unable to receive a young person due to high numbers, the New South Wales Police

Force would detain the juvenile and be reimbursed for the costs of detainment.

New South Wales Police Force involvement in the detention and transport of

juveniles in circumstances whereby normally it would be the responsibility of

Juvenile Justice has three major impacts:

Costs associated with transport and guards (including police overtime),

The removal of general duty police from core policing functions, and

The continued detainment of juveniles in police cells.

On occasion, it is not uncommon for police to transport juveniles for 10 to 12 hours

to find accommodation at a Detention Centre. This effectively reduces the number

or police available in Local Area commands to respond to crime or calls for

assistance. The transport can also initiate significant fatigue issues.

The Department of Juvenile Justice has not paid any invoices raised by the New

South Wales Police Force since July 2009. Therefore, the New South Wales Police

Force is suffering a significant financial burden on behalf of another government

agency.

A January 2010 report to the Commissioner of Police by Assistant Commissioner

Mennilli - New South Wales Police Force Corporate Spokesperson for Custody Issues,

outlines the significance of the financial and human resources impact:

“It should be noted a recent review has been completed of all escort duties

conducted by police, both adult and juvenile prisoners. In the financial

year 2008/2009 the New South Wales Police force expenditure was over

$1.2m. For the 2009/2010 financial year, this cost is expected to exceed

$1.3m. In essence, the New South Wales Police Force is funding escort

services on behalf of the Departments of Corrective Services and Juvenile

Justice. This does not take into account other duties conducted by police

including guarding prisoners in courts and court cells around the State.

The reviews also identified approximately 10,000 policing hours were used


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to undertake transport related services. For example, it is estimated that

3 full time police positions are occupied with transport and custody duties

at the Waverley Police Station.”

Who is responsible?

On 8 September 2005, a Memorandum of Understanding between the New South

Wales Police Force and the Department of Juvenile Justice was signed which

recorded, “DJJ will be responsible for all transport and court supervision of

juvenile detainees appearing before court…” There was a two-year transition

period due to end in 2007. The Department of Juvenile Justice has not yet met its

obligations under the MoU.

Currently the New South Wales Police force continues to transport juveniles,

including to parts of Western Region and Southern Region to areas such as

Armidale, Tamworth, Dubbo, Wagga Wagga, Taree, Moree and Grafton. These

transports continue to have significant financial and operational impacts upon the

New South Wales Police Service. It is not unusual for towns such as Coonamble and

Lake Cargelligo to be left unattended for entire shifts whilst escorts are performed.

A situation where one Government Department formalises by written agreement to

recompense another Government Department for services rendered on its behalf,

and then reneges on that agreement, can only be called one thing - farcical.

RECOMMENDATION NINETEEN:

THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE JUSTICE IMMEDIATELY

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL JUVENILE ESCORTS AS WAS

AGREED TO BY THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

STRUCK IN 2008


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6 - Adult prisoner escorts

The New South Wales Police Force is similarly involved in the transport of adult

male and female prisoners to and from Department of Corrective Services

establishments. The Department of Corrective Services has responsibility for all

their detainees to and from court. The New South Wales Police Force continues to

undertake these duties, even though there is no Memorandum of Understanding in

place.

The same issues arise with adult prisoners as those which arise when members of

the New South Wales Police Force are required to transport juvenile prisoners:

There are significant costs, especially when escorts are required to be

conducted over long distances, often undertaken by police working or

incurring overtime,

The removal of general duties police from core police functions, often

removing them from response capacity for whole shifts and, at some

locations, for days at a time (when Court is sitting), and

The unacceptable delay of prisoners being removed from police custody.

The Court Escort Security Unit

The responsibility for the transport of inmates between courts, gaols and police

facilities rests with the Court Escort Security Unit (CESU) of the Department of

Corrective Services. In 2008 the New South Wales Government announced it would

be contracting out the management and operation of the CESU (privatisation).

However in 2009 the government put a temporary hold on these plans. In respect

of the Legislative Council report upon the proposal dated 21 June 2009, the

following is recorded:

„The NSW Police were highly supportive of privatising the CESU, as they

believed it would alleviate pressures on police resources, which are

currently being diverted to assist prisoner transportation. Assistant

Commissioner Frank Mennilli, Commander, South-West Metropolitan

Region, NSW Police Force, told the committee:

“These issues are more prevalent in regional and rural New South

Wales where police transport prisoners, thus removing police from

their local community to undertake that function. This impacts on

local response times and the availability of police. However, the

problem is state-wide, as police are often called away from policing


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duties to transport, guard and care for prisoners, impacting on

police core service delivery”.

Assistant Commissioner Mennilli advised that, in some regional and rural

areas, transporting inmates from court to prisoner can be a round trip of

up to eight or nine hours. In its submission, the NSW Police Force stated

that transporting and guarding inmates by police has been a long standing

issue with unclear responsibilities between NSWPF and DCS.‟

CASE STUDY - MUDGEE LOCAL AREA COMMAND

Period 1 April 2010 to 30 March 2011

Prisoners conveyed to/from Court 338

Distance travelled to/from Gaol 37,600 Kilometres

Hours taken to conduct these escorts 659

Equivalent period lost in Patrolling 17 weeks

The danger of police escorts

The New South Wales Police Force is not equipped to undertake long distance

prisoner escorts in many areas. The vehicles are unsuitable. Such transportation

may also be in contravention of the recommendations of the Royal Commission into

Aboriginal Deaths in Custody 1987-1991. The danger was highlighted in respect to

the death of an aboriginal elder, transported in an unsuitable vehicle in Western

Australia. The privatisation of transport in that State led Mr Brian Lawrence,

Manager Acacia Prison and Court Security and Custodial Services, to report to the

Legislative Council of New South Wales that,

“…the privatisation of prisoner transport in Western Australia released

around 200 police officers to core policing duties.”


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In recent times, the Member for Northern Tablelands, Mr Richard Torbay, called for

all prisoner escort duties to be removed from police duties. This stance was, and

is, supported by the Police Association of New South Wales which argues that the

role of police in escort duties undermines their core responsibilities to remain

within their communities providing safety and security.

RECOMMENDATION TWENTY:

THAT ADULT PRISONER ESCORT DUTIES TO AND FROM

COURT BE REMOVED AS A DUTY OF THE NEW SOUTH

WALES POLICE FORCE AND TAKEN OVER COMPLETELY

EITHER BY DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIVE SERVICES OR BE

SUBJECT OF PRIVATISATION


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7 - Recognised Law Enforcement Officers (Formerly Special Constables)

The role of the New South Wales Police Force Recognised Law Enforcement Officers

is to:

“provide a quality protective service to selected Police Force and

State Government complexes, ensuring an overall safe and secure

working environment for personnel, property and information. Duties are

performed in uniform and officers are required to carry a firearm

whilst performing building security duties.”

Recognised Law Enforcement Officers came into existence through clause 78 of the

Police Legislation Amendment (Recognised Law Enforcement Officer‟s) Act, 2010.

In the main, they perform protective security services. They are attached to the

Security Management Unit. The current authorised strength of the Security

Management Unit is one hundred and sixty one (176) staff and this is made up of:

1 x Inspector (Commander)

1 x Senior Sergeant (Branch Co-ordinator)

2 x Administrative Officers

150 x Recognised Law Enforcement Officers

RLEO‟s are subject to their own Award which contains provisions for them to work

various shifts, similar to those of police officers. The Commander, Operations

Group of the Counter Terrorism & Special Tactics Command – to which the Security

Management Unit is attached, has identified for primary functions for personnel

attached to the Unit:

Static and mobile building security,

Alarm monitoring and response,

Production and maintenance of building access devices and identification

certificates and associated records, and

The provision of security services to major events and operations, including

x-ray of equipment at access points, screening of visitors at access and

egress points, static guard of high risk locations and equipment, as well as

static guard at crime scenes.

The Commander also advises:

“(RLEO‟s) are not sworn Police Officers, rather they are sworn in as Special

Constables after completing a 6-week training course that incorporates key

aspects to the training undertaken by sworn Police Officers.


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NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet are currently altering legislation to

provide them with the same powers as NSW Police Officers; to allow them to

better executive their duties.

“(RLEO‟s) wear a similar uniform to that of sworn NSW Police Officers,

with the exception of an altered shoulder patch, which states „Special

Constable‟. The head dress is also different with a plain blue head band

rather than chequered, and a hat badge that states they are Special

Constables. They carry the same appointments as sworn Police Force

Officers except for Taser devices.”

The duties of RCLO‟s are defined within the position overview as:

With an emphasis on customer service and corporate values, perform all

duties effectively to achieve the corporate goals of the Police Force.

Provide safety and security services to Police Force sites and facilities as

directed.

Perform patrols of designated grounds and buildings as directed.

Respond to all breaches of safety and security within the boundaries of

facilities and take appropriate action given all the circumstances.

Monitor alarm systems and investigate when activated, taking

appropriate action.

Prove after hours switchboard/reception duties for various sites when

required.

Report any suspicious activity to the Shift Supervisor, Field Supervisor,

Co-ordinator or local police.

Check and secure doors and windows, switch off lights, fans, heaters etc

and report maintenance needs where appropriate.

Prepare and submit reports relating to disturbances and other incidents.

Carry a firearm and associated appointments in the course of their duty.

Participate in duty related training including that relating to firearms

etc.

Report any potential occupational, health and safety issues, or serious

malfunctions of security equipment to the Shift Supervisor or Field

Supervisor.

Assist with evacuation procedures in cases of an emergency.

Perform other duties as required.


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Monitor and implement the Branch corruption prevention plan.

Bearing in mind the transfer of all Special Constables to the role of Recognised Law

Enforcement Officer and the reported decision to alter currently legislation to

provide RLEO‟s with the same powers as Police Officers, it is perhaps appropriate

to consider whether the duties of RLEO‟s can be expanded to better support front

line police officers.

For example, various sections within the New South Wales Police Force have

reported the considerable burden placed upon police officers to undertake prison

escort duties. Western Region recently reported, “Prison escorts significantly

impact on Commands such as Darling river, Castlereagh, Lachlan and Mudgee. The

transport of Corrective Services inmates has a considerable impact on first

response and staffing capabilities. This transport can result in one car crew

being rostered for escort duties for a full shift.” Some country commands only

have one car crew on per shift, therefore attention to prisoner escort means the

town is left un-serviced by police for an entire shift.

Prisoner escort is perhaps one duty RCLO‟s would be able to undertake if their

numbers and duties were expanded to further assist front line police officers.

RECOMMENDATION TWENTY-ONE:

THAT THE NEW SOUTH WALES POLICE FORCE CONSIDER

EXPANDING THE NUMBERS AND ROLES OF RECOGNISED

LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS (RLEO‟s) TO BETTER

ASSIST FRONT LINE POLICE OFFICERS


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8 - Policing through the use of social media:

Recent years have seen an explosion in social media, especially through the

auspices of Facebook and Twitter. The New South Wales Police Force uses both,

with over 23,000 persons registering they „like‟ the New South Wales Police Force.

The Force also uses Twitter and Youtube.

Plans have been developed to significantly increase the Force‟s involvement and

use of this technology. Unfortunately, those plans have developed in isolation, one

through Field Operations and one through Corporate Services.

* Field Operations - Eyewatch

This is a program which has been produced under the sponsorship of the Deputy

Commissioner Field Operations, and is described as using technology to develop

problem-solving approaches with local communities. It proposes the development

of two well known policing concepts: community policing and problem-oriented

policing.

A simple definition of community policing is hard to define, however, Skogan and

Hartnett (2010) have identified it as a process rather than a product whereby

officers, through a consultative process, identify what the issues are within local

communities and then task their police accordingly. Through consultative

committee‟s or other interactive means, the police are responding to, and in some

jurisdictions responsible to, their local community. Community policing requires

decentralisation of decision making to local levels.

Problem-oriented policing, goes hand in hand with community policing and may

generally be identified within a three step-process; identifying the problem (which

community consultation provides), researching the problem (especially in relation

to identifying what works and what doesn‟t in dealing with the problem), and

exploring alternatives of response (Goldstein, 2010).

The New South Wales Police Force has been a proponent and participant in

community based policing for many years. The Force is currently involved in many

Crime Prevention Partnerships and consults through Community Safety Precinct

Committee‟s. A structured approach to problem oriented policing was introduced

through the use of tasking and deployment meetings and the adoption of the

Integrated Crime Management Model (ICMM).


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Eyewatch, a web based initiative, seeks to increase the amount of consultation

with the community at the local level which is critical to all stages of the ICMM

process.

Documents relative to the proposed Eyewatch program state,

“All police agencies have yet to harness the power of the internet and

social networking to truly engage our communities.”

Eyewatch uses Facebook to engage with Neighbourhood Watch Committee‟s, which

are organised into precincts. Information is provided to and from the Police in real

time. The New South Wales Police will create new positions of precinct facilitators

at each Command. Indeed, the proposed Eyewatch model, if fully implemented,

requires a restructure of staff at the local level, ideally at the Local Area Command

or Patrol level. Community precinct‟s are co-ordinated by Community Councils,


105

chaired by the Commander of a Local Area Command or Patrol. These Councils are

supported by Regional Interagency Government Teams (perhaps similar to the

current Region Management Network (RMN) Committees). It is proposed Tasking

and Deployment Meetings will be informed through Eyewatch.

*Corporate Services – Customer Service Program

Through its Customer Service Program, the New South Wales Police Force has been

extremely successful in increasing its connectedness with local communities. Some

highlights include;

in the 12 months to August 2010 a fall in customer service related

complaints by 18%;

a strong customer focus partly driven through the Mystery Shopper Program;

customer service training delivered to all New South Wales Police Force

employees during 2009 and 2010;

the introduction of the Community Awareness Policing Program (CAPP);

and eighty (80) Local Area Commands audited.

The Deputy Commissioner Corporate Services is sponsoring the continual

development of initiatives for the New South Wales Police to better engage with

the community, especially through improving victim focus. Customer service is

based on the premise that victim follow-up is critical. Corporate Services are

proposing, in relation to better utilisation of technology, the gradual

implementation of initiatives whereby the Police website will be able to provide

general information to victims of crime, and specialist information available from

Victim Focus Units (or similar).

Corporate Services has identified, after examining U.S. and U.K. models that the

New South Wales Police Force should focus upon:

a greater provision of victim support information through electronic media

such as the internet,

improved case management whereby, “a victim is asked how often (s)he

wants to be updated and for how long, and provision of updates at least

once every 4 weeks, as per the model implemented in the U.S.”,

management of the above through a case management system based

electronic workflow, and


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a focused, streamlined and consistent model through which to conduct

victim follow-up, of which possible options include:

o Centralised Victim Support Units within each Command,

o Victim Liaison Officers at Local Area Commands,

o A call-centre based solution utilising Police Link capability for victim

follow up in relation to standard information.

Corporate Services are proposing a number of short-term options.

Both the Field Operations and the Corporate Services plans have many overlapping

features, not the least of which is the development of further specialist positions

at Command level such as Eyewatch Precinct Co-ordinators, or Victim Liaison

Officers.

The plans need to be amalgamated into one proposal.

RECOMMENDATION TWENTY TWO:

THAT THE NEW SOUTH WALES POLICE FORCE WORK TO

DEVELOP ONE PROPOSAL FOR THE FURTHER USE OF

WEB BASED TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE CUSTOMER

CONSULTATION AND VICTIM SERVICE.


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Appendix 1 Ministerial Inquiry (Audit of New South Wales Police Force) Section 217 Police Act - No 47 of 1990

1) The Minister may appoint any person (an authorised person) to inquire into,

and to report to the Minister on any matter on which the Minister wishes to be

advised in relation to the management and administration of the NSW Police

Force.

2) For the purpose of conducting such an inquiry, an authorised person may, at

any time, do any of the following:

a) enter any police premises,

b) call for, and inspect, all or any police records, documents, files or other

matter, whether of the same or of a different kind, on police premises

c) question and seek information from any member of the NSW Police Force.

3) A member of the NSW Police Force who fails:

a) to comply with any requirement made of the member by an authorised

person under this section, or

b) to give all assistance and co-operation to an authorised person,

is guilty of an offence.

Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units or imprisonment for six (6) months, or both.

● ● ●


108

Appendix 2 - Reference documents

The following documents were provided to this Audit by the Office of the Ministry

for Police and Emergency Services (Law Enforcement Division);

Audit

Terms of reference

Section 217 of the Police Act 1990

Media release: Minister for Police Hon Michael Gallacher MP

Police numbers

NSW Police Force operational capacity (people) @ 31.1.11

NSW Police Force operational capacity (people) (updated)

Police stations

NSW Police Force operational capacity (resources) @ 31.1.11

NSW Police Force operational capacity (resources) - updated

NSW Police Force operational capacity (station opening hours)

NSW Police Force operational capacity (cells)

2010-2011 to 2011-2012 divestment details

NSW Property Portfolio strategic plan

Other resources

York report (specialist resources)

2010-2011 capital budget spreadsheet

Other

Local Area Command profiles

KPMG / NSW Treasury initial scan of the NSW Police Force

NSW Government election commitment schedule for Police portfolio

NSW Audit Office performance audit – police rostering

The „Wright Report‟ – promotions

Ministry response to KPMG initial scan of the NSW Police Force

Hansard (6.5.03) Tony Stewart et. al. re: new probationary constables

Ombudsman‟s report (2009) into Victorian police statistics and numbers

Auditor General‟s report into the NSW Police Force 2010

Piers Akerman opinion piece (Daily Telegraph 21.12.06) re: police secrets - Tim

Priest

Office of Police Integrity Victoria (April 2010) - Flexible work practices for

policing


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NSW Police Force intranet – statement of agreed position – parameters for

flexible rostering (Parts 1 & 2)

● ● ●


110

Appendix 3 - Requested documents

Documents were requested of and supplied by the following NSW Police Force

Commands during the course of the Audit:

Corporate Services Command

COMPASS reports (2009 to present)

Staff Allocation Models – Corporate Services

Region Administration Clustering Proposal

United Group Services Contract with NSW Police Force

Criminal investigation positions in Local Area Commands

Allocation to Local Area Commands of probationary constables

NSW Police Force – previous command structures

Business & Technology Services – numbers (authorised & actual) & pay scales

Operational Capacity

Equivalent Full Time (EFT) position statements

Authorised Strength numbers as at 1 July 1997

Cessation of Local Area Command gradings

Horizon Project

Strategic Planning documentation (Re: mining in the Western Region)

Teacher Housing Authority - Review of police housing

Police residences housing allowances

Corrective Services

o prisoner escorts

o audio visual links (location and review)

Field Operations Command

Current list of local area commanders; registered numbers; date appointed to

rank & date appointed to location

McKechnie report into proposed amalgamation of Local Area Commands

Local Area Command profiles

Criminal Investigation positions in Local Area Commands (allocation model)

Flexible Rostering – leave entitlements

Shared Duty Officer Review - Supt. Stuart Wilkins (2009/2010)

Specialist Operations Command

York report into Specialist Command resources

NSW Police Force Technology Review (2008)

Staff Allocation Models

o NSW Police Force Review of Resource Management

o Beale Review (AFP)


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o Report by Assistant Commissioner David Hudson

Commander State Crime Command

o Stapleton Review (2009)

Special Constables documentation (responsibilities, numbers & deployment)

● ● ●


112

Appendix 4 - Meetings

The following meetings were held during the course of the Audit:

Commissioner of Police

Andrew Scipione APM

Director Commissioner‟s Directorate, Ms Nicole Rose

Corporate Services Command

Deputy Commissioner, Catherine Burn APM

Deputy Commissioner‟s direct reports (together)

Deputy Commissioner‟s direct reports (individually):

o Director Shared Services, Ms Robyn Foster

o Director Finance & Business Services, Mr Greg Burgoyne

o Commander Human Resources, Assistant Commissioner Mark

Jenkins APM

o Commander Performance Improvement & Planning, Supt Paul

Devaney

o Commander Education Services, Assistant Commissioner Michael

Corboy APM

o Commander Performance Improvement & Planning, Supt Paul

Devaney



o A/Director Business & Technology Services, Supt Chris Clark

Field Operations Command

Deputy Commissioner, David Owens APM

Commander Manning/Great Lakes LAC, Supt Paul Fehon

Local Area commanders forum - Parramatta

Western Region Commanders forum - Dubbo

Western Region Commanders (individually);

o Acting Region Commander, Supt Geoff McKechnie APM

o Commander Orana LAC, Supt Stan Single APM

North West Metropolitan Region Commanders forum - Richmond

Acting Deputy Commissioner, Carmine (Frank) Mennilli APM

Operational Commanders forum - Parramatta

Northern Region Commanders forum - Newcastle

Northern Region Commanders (individually):

o Region Commander, Assistant Commissioner Carlene York APM

o Commander Richmond LAC, Supt Greg Martin

o Commander Coffs/Clarence LAC, Supt Mark Holahan

South West Metropolitan Region Commanders forum - Granville


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Southern Region commanders forum - Bateman‟s Bay

Central Metropolitan Region Commander, Assistant Commissioner Mark

Murdoch APM

Specialist Operations Command

Deputy Commissioner, Nick Kaldas APM

Deputy Commissioner‟s direct reports (together) - Police Executive

Offices

Director Advanced Technology Centre Special Services Group, Mr Syd

Griffith PSM

Other

Sam Toohey, Senior Policy Analyst Ministry for Police and Emergency

Services

Les Tree - Chief Executive Officer - Ministry for Police and Emergency

Services

Hon. Thomas George MP - Member for Lismore

Hon. Kevin Humphries MP - Member for Barwon, Minister for Mental

Health and Minister for Western New South Wales

Hon. John Williams MP - Member for Murray-Darling

Hon. Steve Cansdell MP - Member for Clarence, Parliamentary

Secretary to Minister for Police and Emergency Services

Hon. Kevin Anderson MP - Member for Tamworth

Hon. Andrew Gee MP - Member for Orange

Hon. Stephen Bromhead MP - Member for Myall Lakes

Lauren Fitzgerald - ABC Radio New England/Tamworth

Hayley Sheridan - Northern Daily Leader Tamworth

Keith Millard - Namoi Valley Independent Gunnedah

Steve O‟Halloran, Mayor - Balranald Shire Council

Michelle Kelly, General-Manager Balranald Shire Council

Jeff Mannix, Councillor - Balranald Shire Council

Alan Purtill, Councillor - Balranald Shire Council

Murray/Darling Mayors Conference Dinner

Superintendent (Retired) Ron Mason APM („Red Tape‟ Ministerial

Working Party Chairman)

Assistant Commissioner (Retired) Bob May APM

Supt Don Graham (NSW/AFP), Commander - Sydney Airport Police

Assistant Commissioner Peter Gallagher APM and Supt Stuart Smith APM

(re: Injury Management inquiry)

Full Executive of Police Association of NSW

Mr. Brad Scutella, Chief of Staff to Minister for Police and Emergency

Services M Gallacher

Hon. Michael Gallacher Minister for Police and Emergency Services,

Assistant Commissioner (Retired) Steve Bradshaw APM

Hon. Troy Grant MP, Member for Dubbo


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John Ryan - WIN Television, Dubbo

Peter Lalor, Manager - Aboriginal Employee Programs Unit, New South

Wales Police Force

Mr. Mike Homden

● ● ●


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Appendix 5 - Requests for submissions

A series of state wide „Nemesis‟ messages was used to inform all members of the

NSW Police Force of the audit and its purpose and invite confidential submissions.

A secure email address, #Audit was created for the purpose of receiving

submissions.

Nemesis Message #1 - 9 May 2011

Audit of Police Resources The NSW Minister for Police and Emergency Services has requested that an audit of

police numbers and resources be undertaken.

The aim of the audit is to determine where police are, where they need to be, and

how best to use them to protect and serve our communities.

The audit will also examine police resources, broadly defined, to ensure their

allocation is effective.

Former Assistant Commissioner Peter Parsons will be conducting the audit.

The audit will examine police numbers, including:

current police numbers and their allocation across NSW;

whether „authorised strength‟ is an appropriate measure of policing levels in

the community;

alternative measures of police strength, including equivalent full time staff and

operational staff.

The audit will examine police facilities, including:

all existing police stations and other police facilities, their opening hours, and

which are operational 24 hours a day;

the current schedule of police properties to be sold, to ensure that these

resources are truly surplus to requirements.

The audit will examine police resources, including:

the allocation of police and support staff;

the effectiveness of the current local area command structure, especially in

regional areas;

the allocation of capital equipment, including police vehicles.

Injury Management

Part of the audit will include a review of police injury management practices.

Assistant Commissioner Peter Gallagher will undertake this work.


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Working Party

AC Dave Hudson will represent Specialist Operations, AC Mark Jenkins will

represent Corporate Services and Superintendent Stuart Smith will assist AC Peter

Gallagher with Injury Management and representing Field Operations.

Robert Kinny, Office of the Commissioner, will work full time on the audit,

coordinating the provision of NSWPF information to Mr Parsons.

The audit will provide a final report to the NSW Cabinet within three months of its

establishment.


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Nemesis Message #2 - 31 May 2011

Audit of the NSW Police Force Your chance to shape the future of your workplace

Staff, sworn and non-sworn, are invited to send submissions to the current audit,

by former Assistant Commissioner Peter Parsons APM, of the NSW Police Force.

The audit is being carried out at the request of the Minister for Police and

Emergency Services, Michael Gallacher MLC and will create a snapshot of the

current state of the Force, including police numbers, facilities and resources, to

determine how these can best be used in the work of reducing crime and

protecting NSW communities.

Part of the audit will include examining current injury management practices.

Assistant Commissioner Peter Gallagher is undertaking this review.

Recommendations of the Audit of the NSW Police Force will include how best to

allocate the additional police numbers and resources committed to by the

Government. It will also tell us whether the resources we have, both personnel

and equipment, can be better utilised to enhance our service of communities and

also where we can improve police practices.

This audit is about ensuring NSW police have the resources and support necessary

to effectively do their jobs. If, through this audit, I can see that we can improve

service delivery then I‟ll certainly be pushing these points to the Minister.

Key to the success of the audit is the process of consultation and I need input from

all areas and levels of the organisation. To this end, I will be speaking personally

to as many members of the NSW Police Force as I can in the time available.

Importantly, those who I can‟t see personally are invited to send me their ideas or

any relevant information, before 31 July 2011, through the internal email address

#Audit.

All submissions will be treated in the strictest of confidence, and please include

your preferred contact details for the purposes of acknowledgement, clarification

or response.

I‟ll be reporting my recommendations to the Minister by 23 August 2011.

Additional details of the Audit are contained in the Nemesis message: Audit of Police Resources, issued on 16 May 2011 under “Executive Announcement”. Peter Parsons APM


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Nemesis Message #3 - 20 June 2011

Audit of the NSW Police Force Your chance to shape the future of your workplace

Submissions due by 31 July 2011 A reminder to all staff, sworn and non-sworn, that submissions to the current audit

of the NSW Police Force are still being accepted.

The audit is being carried out at the request of the Minister for Police and

Emergency Services, Michael Gallacher MLC, to establish the current state of the

Force, including police numbers, facilities and resources, and then determine how

these can best be used in the work of reducing crime and protecting NSW

communities.

The Audit‟s recommendations will include how best to allocate the additional

police numbers and resources committed to by the Government.

It will also determine whether current resources, both personnel and equipment,

can be better utilised and where policing practices can be improved to enhance

NSW Police Force service delivery.

The audit is being conducted by former Assistant Commissioner Peter Parsons APM

who says its aim is to ensure NSW police have the resources and support necessary

to effectively do their jobs.

“Key to the success of the audit is the process of consultation and I need input

from all areas and levels of the organisation,” Mr Parsons said.

“To this end, I am speaking personally to as many members of the NSW Police

Force as I can in the time available.”

“Importantly, those who I can‟t see personally can send me their ideas or any

relevant information through the internal email address #Audit.”

“These submissions must be in before 31 July 2011. “

“All submissions will be treated in the strictest of confidence, and please include

your preferred contact details for the purposes of acknowledgement, clarification

or response.”

“I‟ll be reporting my recommendations to the Minister by 23 August 2011.”

Additional details of the Audit are contained in the Nemesis message: Audit of

Police Resources, issued on 16 May 2011 under „Executive Announcement‟.


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Communications inviting submissions to the Audit also included the following email,

sent directly to all NSW Police Force Assistant Commissioners and command

Directors:

Email to Assistant Commissioners and Command Directors - 20 June 2011

Parsons Review of the NSW Police Force

As you might be aware, I have been appointed by the Minister for Police and

Emergency Services, the Hon Michael Gallacher MLC, to conduct a review of NSW

Police Force numbers, facilities and resources.

As detailed in the Nemesis message: Audit of Police Resources, issued on 16 May

2011 under “Executive Announcement”, the Minister has asked for a snapshot of

the current state of the Force to determine how personnel and resources can best

be used in the work of reducing crime and protecting NSW communities.

The Review is also examining current injury management practices.

Recommendations will include how best to allocate the additional police numbers

and resources committed to by the Government, and whether service to the

community can be further enhanced through the reallocation of existing resources

or by improving police practices.

A substantial part of this work will involve consultation across the organisation,

including as many face to face meetings or presentations as I can reasonably carry

out in the time available.

Importantly, those who I can‟t meet with personally are being invited to send me

their ideas or any relevant information, before 31 July 2011, through the internal

email address #Audit.

I look forward to talking to as many of you as I can, and to receiving any thoughts

or ideas from those I don‟t get the chance to see.

I‟ll be reporting my recommendations to the Minister by 23 August 2011.

Regards,

Peter Parsons APM

27 May 2011


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Communication inviting submissions to the Audit also included the following letter

sent to each sitting Member of Parliament by the Hon. Michael Gallacher Minister

for Police and Emergency Services:

Letter to Members of Parliament - 24 June 2011

16 June 2011 - (Draft)

«TITLE» «INIT» «SURNAME» «MP»

Member for «ELECTORATE»

«MINISTRY»

«CONTACT_ADDRESS_LINE1»

«CONTACT_ADDRESS_LINE2»

«CONTACT_ADDRESS_SUBURB» «CONTACT_ADDRESS_STATE»

«CONTACT_ADDRESS_POSTCODE»

Dear «SALUTATION»

As you would be aware in recent weeks I have announced the comprehensive audit

of police resources the NSW Liberals & Nationals committed to prior to the State

Election.

Former Assistant Commissioner Peter Parsons APM has agreed to undertake this

audit which will determine where Police are, where they need to be and how best to

use them to protect and serve our community.

The audit will examine the effectiveness of the current Local Area Command

structure, especially in regional areas, as well police numbers including alternative

measures of strength, including equivalent full time staff and operational staff.

As part of the audit process I have asked Mr Parsons to consider submissions on

where improvements can be made to the current allocation of police resources.

To facilitate this process I am urging all Members of the Legislative Assembly to

prepare a combined submission to this audit on behalf of their local community.

You may wish to seek input from local residents, community groups and community

leaders and compile them into a single community submission. Police Officers have

already been asked directly for their contributions.


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Your submission may include such information as where the community believes

there are gaps in police numbers, the need for new police resources and where new

police stations are needed.

Any submissions should be received by 31 July 2011. All submissions will be

treated in the strictest of confidence, and, please include your preferred contact

details for the purposes of acknowledgement, clarification or response.

They can be sent to the attention of Mr Peter Parsons APM at:

Audit Submission

Ministry of Police and Emergency Services

GPO Box 5341

SYDNEY NSW 2001

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact my office.

Yours sincerely

Hon. Michael Gallacher MLC

Minister for Police and Emergency Services


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Appendix 6 - Submissions from NSW Police Force Employees

Overview

All submissions to the NSW Police Force Audit were acknowledged by return email

and their subject(s) recorded in a table of submissions.

Where submissions included more than one subject, each was recorded separately

in the table.

Number of submissions by Terms of Reference:

Subject Number

Police numbers

Police stations

Resources

Other

Injury management**

153

31

73

86

23

366

** Injury management was the subject of a separate investigation conducted by Assistant

Commissioner Peter Gallagher, Commander Western Region.

Subjects most discussed in each of the Terms of Reference subject areas were:

Police Numbers:

The management of staff and positions

Police Stations:

LAC/Region structure

Resources:

IT systems

Other:

Properties (police stations)

Properties (police housing)

115

27

16

11

9


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Following is a copy of the finalised submissions table:

Audit of the NSW Police Force - table of submissions

Issue Subject Field (City)

Field (Ctry)

Spec. (City)

Spec. (Ctry)

Corp. (City)

Corp. (Ctry)

Totals

Numbers

Management of staff / positions 36 62 9

7 1 115

Numbers 4 9 2

15

Commissioned officers 1

1

2

Recruitment 3 2

5

Sick leave 2 2

4

Specialist #s eg SOCOs - country

1

1

Support #s eg LACs - country

1

1

Promotions 2 2 1

1

6

Retention 3

1

4

Total 51 79 14 0 8 1 153

Police Stations

LAC / Region structure 11 14 1

1

27

Unit locations 1 1 1

3

Station opening times

1

1

0

0

0

0

Total 12 16 2 0 1 0 31

Resources

IT systems 8 4 2

2

16

Vehicles 5 6 2

1

14

Training 4 5

1

10

Resources - general 2 4 2

8

COPS / paperwork 3 4

7

Forensics 2

2

Gym facilities 1

1

Regional areas

1

1

Air Wing

1

1

Capital equipment 1 1

2

Weapons management

1

1

Investigation management 3

3

Phone systems

1

1

Communications equipment/MDTs

2 1

3

Specialist commands 1

1

Region health facilities 1

1

Roadside drug testing 1

1


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Total 32 29 8 0 4 0 73

Injury M'ment

8 11 2 2 23

Other

Properties - police stations 7 4

11

Properties - housing (UGS) 1 7 1

9

Admin processes 7 2

9

Brief preparation 3 1

4

Custody / Prisoner escorts 3 4

7

Legislation 2

2

Uniform 2 2

4

Court attendance 1 1

2

Complaints handling 4 1

5

Allowances 3

3

Police culture 1 1

1

3

Payments to informants 1

1

Communication

1

1

Emergency Management 1 1

2

Request for meeting 1

1

Alcohol 1 1

2

Attendance at industrial accidents

1

1

Asset confiscation 1

1

Strategic Planning

1

1

2

Core business 3

3

Safety

1

1

Security & Risk Management

1

1

Recognition

1

1

Revenue 1

1

3% housing rental 1

1

User pays 1

1

Firearms Audits

1

1

Road safety / traffic 1

1

Fitness

1

1

Red Tape

1

1

General

1

1

Management

1

1

Enquiry

1

1

Total 47 31 3 0 5 0 86

Grand Total 366


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Appendix 7 – Submissions from Members of Parliament, Councils, Chambers of Commerce and other individuals.

Overview

All these submissions to the New South Wales Police Force Audit were directed to

the Minister for Police and Emergency Services in the first instance from where

acknowledgement was actioned.

Whilst many of the submissions did not follow a common template, each of them

were summarised and projected onto a table for ease of reference and collation.

A total of 95 separate submissions (some were included in MP and Council

submissions) were received from;

Members of Parliament (44 received)

Councils (23 Regional, 3 metropolitan)

Chambers of Commerce (11 regional, 1 metropolitan)

Business Persons ( 1 regional, 1 metropolitan)

Individuals (19 regional, 1 metropolitan)

The Subjects and/or areas of concern included;

Lack of Police presence (39 mentions)

Permanent police required (19)

Secondment of staff out of town (18)

Inequitable staffing/allocation to country (16)

Review of LAC model (16)

Properties (stations and residences) (15)

Upgrade to 24 hour Station (14)

Authorised versus actual strength (10)

Closure of police stations (7)

Stations un-manned (7)

Transfer system - replacements too slow (4)

Increased numbers of Domestic Violence Liaison Officers (4)

Increased numbers of Ethnic Community Liaison Officers (4)

More incentives for country police (3)

review needed on number of senior officers around state (3)

Promotion system (3)

Rural crime and lack of rural investigators (3)

lack of trail bike police in country (2)

Water Police presence needed at Tweed Heads and Mid North Coast (2)

As well as the obvious solutions to the areas of concern (above) the following

suggestions/ideas were promoted by various persons:


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Re-introduction of Neighbourhood Watch

More Community Consultative Committees and commitment by police to

them

Return to Community based policing

„Back to basics‟ policing

Volunteers

Police Reserve similar to Army Reserve

The following points were raised throughout the submissions as potential threats to

the communities if police don‟t plan strategically and respond;

Population growth

Mining boom

Growth of Anti-social behaviour

Following is the summary table for each of the 95 submissions:

CABINET IN CONFIDENCE - MINISTERIAL AUDIT OF THE NEW SOUTH WALES POLICE FORCE

127

NAME ELECTORATE/COUNCIL/STATUS SUMMARY OF SUBMISSION

1 - Adrian PICCOLI MP Member for Murrumbidgee on behalf of *Lack of Police in rural areas – Coolamon and

Coolamon Shire Ganmain

*Common practice of seconding staff to larger

centres to fill rosters, leaving small towns

without their police officers

*Discussion on Clustering of Rosters

2 - Adrian PICCOLI MP Member for Murrumbidgee on behalf of * Ardlethan Constable working virtually full

citizens of Ardlethan. time in Temora

3 - George SOURIS MP Member for Upper Hunter on behalf * Re-instatement of permanent police

of Merriwa District Progress Association presence in Merriwa

4 - Brian WILKINSON General Manager – Richmond Valley * Casino to be upgraded to 24 Hour Station

Council


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5 - Nicolas HARRISON Chairman – Summerland Credit Union, * Casino to be upgraded to 24 Hour Station

Lismore

6 - Paul TOSI General Manager – Campbelltown City * Additional police required in Eagle Vale and

Council Ingleburn to up-grade both to 24 Hour

Stations

7 - Rick WARREN General Manager – Coonamble Shire * Crime rates in Coonamble and Gulargambone

Council not being adequately addressed due to lack

of staff

* Absences of staff in Coonamble met by staff

from Gulargambone

* Long absences of staff due to transfers – no

timely turn-over

* Special Remote classification to Coonamble

and Gulargambone


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8 - Chris HARTCHER MP Member for Central Coast on behalf * No substantial increase in police numbers for

of Terrigal Constituents many years

* Closure of Erina Fair Police Shopfront

* Downgrading of Terrigal Police Station from

24 Hours to ‘business hours only’

* General Duties police assigned to specialist

roles i.e., domestic violence

intervention/community liaison not being

replaced in substantive role

*Anti-social activity in area increased

Substantially in last 15 years

*Closure of Kincumber Police Station with

allied Increase in crime

*No local Police presence in Erina with 3

‘nightspot’ venues – incidents not being

reported


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*Terrigal has 4 ‘nightspot’ venues – no local

Police presence after hours with incidents

not being reported

*Not enough trained police motor-cycle

riders to police illegal riding in National

Parks

*Street racing in residential and industrial

areas –not enough HWP to respond

*Wide spread under-reporting of minor

crime

9 - David SMITH Acting General Manager – Greater * Permanent Police presence required in

Hume Shire Council (Holbrook) Jindera (fastest growing area in Shire)

* Police officers from Walla Walla, Henty and

Culcairn seconded to Albury to fill roster

leaving these towns without police


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10 - Matthew WALES President – The Peninsula Chamber of * Absence of promised Police Shopfront in

Commerce Commerce (Woy Woy) Beach retail area

* Upgrade of Woy Woy Police Station to fully

functioning 24 Hour Station

* Review of Gosford Area Command (Brisbane

LAC) with view to more autonomy for

Peninsula (Woy Woy) policing – Gosford too

far for timely response

11 - Matt KEAN MP Member for Hornsby * 2009 Brooklyn Police Station closed, closest

Police presence now Hornsby 20 minutes

away

* Brooklyn residents feel isolated with water

craft accessibility and large tourist influx

and no local police presence

* No response to requested Eaglephone at

Marina


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12 - Mark COURE MP Member for Oatley (Hurstville LAC) * More presence of police in Riverwood area

* Neighbourhood Watch for greater community

awareness

* More Chinese-speaking Liaison Officers in

LAC

* Issue of Commuter safety on Friday/Saturday

nights

13 - Ray WILLIAMS MP Member for Hawkesbury * Lack of police in Wisemans Ferry

14 - Ian ROBINSON Resident of Central Macdonald (in * No permanent police presence in Wisemans

Hawkesbury Electorate) Ferry whereas 35 years ago there were 2

* Weekend influx of tourists to many areas of

entertainment, river for skiing, 2 Historic

Inns


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15 - Penny FINLAY Resident of St. Albans (in Hawkesbury * Review closure of Wisemans Ferry Police

Electorate) Station

* Timely response by police to concerns in the

Macdonald Valley

16 - Vicki WELSH Resident of Wisemans Ferry *Wisemans Ferry Police Station not manned

17 - Don PAGE MP Member for Ballina * In May 2008 North Coast National Party

members made a submission to then Region

Commander Shearer for increased staffing

* In 2011 staff has not increased

* Richmond and Tweed/Byron LAC’s ‘Over-

strength’ is bogus

* Northern Region Police numbers to

population ratio 1 : 700, NSW 1 : 500

* Academy graduations May 2008 of 271

officers total of 7 go to 3 North Coast LAC


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* Insufficient numbers place undue pressure

on serving officers

* Pro-activity almost non-existent

* Case for increased numbers - many factors

calling for increased numbers; demo-

graphics, high sick leave, State’s highest

incidences of mental illness, proximity to

S/E Queensland, influx large numbers of

tourists, drug related crime, Pacific

Highway fatalities.

18 - Gloria GREEN JP Resident of Millers Forest * Beresfield Police Station to be re-opened

19 - Lotta JACKSON Acting General Manager Glen Innes * 24 Hour police presence in Glen Innes

Shire Council required

* Lack of availability of Police officers in

Deepwater and Emmaville Police Stations


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* Telephone calls to those 2 localities diverted

to Glen Innes or Armidale

20 - Geoff PROVEST MP Member for Tweed *Increase in Police resources for the Tweed

*28% of officers on long term sick

*Strongly support a change in way resources

are allocated

*50,000 vehicles from S/E Queensland coming

into Tweed area every day

*Need to formalise MOU with Queensland

Police for more effective policing of border

areas

*Need for General Duties police dog -

Queensland Police dog borrowed from time

to time

*Need for ocean-going police vessel as closest

NSW Water Police is at Coffs Harbour 250 Ks.


136


*New Police Station (approved) be placed at Cudgen not Kingscliff

21 - Tom JORDAN Resident of South Tweed Heads and an * Promotions By Merit system has caused more

ex-Police Officer problems for police morale than anything

else

* Stop ineffective and over-rated senior

officers from escaping their responsibilities

by allowing them to retire or be re-located

in less onerous duties retaining their

promoted rank

* Successful senior officers application

information be checked

* Check bona fides of successful senior officers

referees

* Ineffectual senior officer be relegated to

original rank before promotion


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* HAY Report - allow officers who wish to carry

out non-frontline duties be allowed to do so

with a rank that is regulated

* Suitability to Perform operational duties -

height and weight of an officer to

be considerations for specific operation roles

* Perceived unfairness of Court Systems -

demands placed on police officers by Courts

systems

22 - Ian SPIERS Resident of Murwillumbah, an ex-Police * Proposal for development of a Multi-purpose

Officer Police and Emergency Services Centre at

Chindera in 1993

* Concerns raised by him in 1995 re police and

emergency services personnel resourcing

recognised by then Police Minister West and

preliminary action taken


138


* The Plan shelved in 1996 with advent of new

Labour Government

23 - John MURRAY JP Resident of Ballina * Urgent need for policing to return to

Community Consultative Committee process

which was extremely successful

24 - Ryan PARK MP Member for Keira * Establish a northern base for police in the

Helensburgh area

25 - Steven BRADSHAW APM Resident of Maules Creek (in Electorate of * Increase in staff for Moree, Wee Waa and

of Barwon) and an ex-senior Police Officer Narrabri centres to prevent out-lying police

sectors having to fill absences for First

Response requirements

* Crime Management Unit in Barwon LAC never

properly staffed

* Whole State over-staffed - does Barwon


139


need a Superintendent in charge with

4 Inspectors?

* Opportunity to save money with review of

number of senior officers

* Need for an officer in charge to be just that -

and not have additional responsibilities for

whole of Command i.e., Narrabri.

* Mining will bring law and order issues - need

to plan strategically

* No staffing formula

* Consideration given to BOCSAR statistics

* One crime to 100,000 and not volume crime

*Rural policing always comes second on

volume crime figures and are not reflective

of what actually occurs

*Rural Crime Investigators be wholly devoted

to that duty and not used for general Crime


140


investigation

*Police properties need decent look at

*Stations in the Pilliga under one Command,

with Baradine moved into Barwon LAC

*Increase and enforce tenure for Commanders

in rural/regional areas - Sydney based.

*No user-pays to rural communities

*Telephone calls to be taken at local Police

Stations or residences 24 Hours, not

switched through to larger 24 Hour Station

after hours.

* Sector police get 3% rental and wives get

allowance per year for after hours

inconvenience and is not being earned

* Local people would report more crime if

there was a local response after hours


141


26 - Joan FIRTH Resident of Coonamble * Coonamble Police Station to be 24 Hours

* More police for Coonamble

* Parents made more accountable for their

children

27 - Richard AMERY MP Member for Mount Druitt * More Police resources required for one of he

most diverse and busiest areas in the State

* New and larger Police Station required for

Mount Druitt LAC

28 - Bruce CORCORAN General Manager - Corowa Shire Council * On resignation or transfer of an officer, the

recruitment process for the vacancy takes

far too long

* No back-up police resources for sickness,

annual leave, disciplinary matters, long

service


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* Police availability in rural areas a real

problem

* Too often police in smaller sectors having to

work in larger centres

* Due to these secondment practices, response

times to rural areas is greater than desirable

* The difficulty of attracting police to smaller

rural towns is a disadvantage to tax-paying

residents

* Police residences and some Stations

well below standard due to neglect and do

not assist in attracting new police to these

areas

* Due to low levels of police, difficult to

roster police ‘after hours’ when many

undesirable incidents occur

* The Police Incident Reporting system needs


143


to be reviewed as many residents get

extremely frustrated i.e., if Corowa

Station is unattended the incident call is

diverted to Albury which at times is not

answered. Often Callers just hang up

29 - Shelley HANCOCK MP Member for South Coast * Need for additional Police resources within

the Bay and Basin region with a preference

for a new Police Station staffed 24 Hours 7

days week

* Additional Police resources to allow Ulladulla

to remain 24 Hours 7 days week throughout

the year and not just for holiday season

* The provision of community policing with a

permanent police presence in Sussex Inlet,

Culburra Beach and Huskisson


144


30 - Darren WEBBER MP Member for Wyong * Increase in Police resources/numbers in

Tuggerah Lakes LAC

* Increase in the number of CCTV monitoring

facilities to assist police in problem areas

31 - Chris SPENCE MP Member for The Entrance * Increase Tuggerah Lakes LAC by additional

20 Constables and 5 Sergeants

* Strong Community perception that the LAC is

under-resourced and under-staffed

* Police Resource Allocation Model needs to be

improved

32 - Douglas DARLINGTON Secretary, The Entrance Peninsula * Statistics for Tuggerah Lakes LAC shows that

Community Precinct The Entrance is where the crime is and the

LAC should not be re-located to Wyong

* Biggest reported crime is Malicious Damage

to property and a high percentage of these


145


are alcohol related

* Get police out of their cars and actually

inspect patrons in liquor outlets to ensure

legal service of alcohol

* Visible police presence at closing times

* Limit the number of liquor outlets by more

stringent conditions

*Reduce underage drinking and enforce

earlier closing times for problem hotels and

clubs

* Education Programs in schools aimed at

discouraging underage drinking

* May be better LAC boundaries that result in

more local police presence and better

response times

* The perception is that The Entrance is

unsafe


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* While it is easy to get the total strength of

the LAC it would be helpful to know the

actual strength

33 - Nick LALICH MP Member for Cabramatta * Current police visibility needs to be

maintained

to ensure Cabramatta does not return to its

notorious past

* Cabramatta must retain its current police

numbers

34 - Catherine WHITE Manager, The Womens Activities and * LAC’s in the Mount Druitt area are under-

Self Help House Inc, Mount Druitt resourced to deal with the demands of the

community

* Ongoing implementation of recommendations

from 2006 NSW Ombudsman Report

Domestic Violence; Improving Police Practice


147


* Increase the number of Police DVLO’s across

the State

* Increase the number of specially trained DV

officers to ensure a DV officer is available in

LAC’s 24 Hours day, 7 days week

* Increase status of DVLO’s to recognise

importance of the Police response to

domestic violence, and attract and retain

skilled and experienced officers in the role

* Roster DVLO’s and DV staff to match high

reporting periods in LAC’s

* Increase the number of female ACLO’s

* Ensure LAC’s are resourced adequately to

facilitate active participation in partnerships

with appropriate stakeholders

* Improve training for all General Duties Police

and senior officers to provide consistent,


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high quality response to domestic violence

incidents

* Provide specialised training for Police

Prosecutors. Additional resourcing in this

role should incorporate time for them to

meet with victims prior to domestic

violence hearing matters to get

understanding of the issues

35 - Chantal SCARLETT Resident of Merimbula, wife of Serving * Ongoing mould problem in residence

Police Officer, Sector Supervisor at occupied by Officer, his wife and three

Merimbula children

* Not repaired, first identified in 2006

* Breaches of NSW Residential Tenancy

Agreement (Sec.’s 25 (1) (a) and (b)

* Questions the validity of the United Group

Services, craftsmen involved and any other


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NAME ELECTIORATE/COUNCIL/STATUS SUMMARY OF SUBMISSION

‘outsourcing’ maintenance company utilised

* Provides solutions to NSW Police to ensure

that no one else has to go through what they

have

36 - Greg PIPER MP Member for Lake Macquarie * The level of police resourcing and the

location of the Police (LAC) Headquarters

should take into account the particular

demands that arise of the geographical

configuration of the area

* Glendale is the identified location for the

new LAC location, not in my Electorate but

willing to support same if it adds value to

service delivery

* Lake Macquarie LAC Police to Population

ratio is 1 : 939, well above the State

average 1 : 562


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* More resources required

* Toronto and Morisset Police Stations in need

of urgent repair and alterations to bring to

satisfactory levels

* Inadequate police presence in Morisset

Peninsula

* Morisset Police Station un-manned, with

Dedicated Facebook site ‘Morisset-needs-

more-cops’ calls for community input into

police under-staffing

37 - Col ROACH President, Bonnells Bay Progress * Inequitable ratio of Police to population in

Association the Lake Macquarie LAC

* Lake Macquarie ratio 1 : 900, Newcastle LAC

1 : 320, State average 1 : 459.

* 2nd Highest rate for DV out of 80 LAC’s


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* Detectives in LAC threatened Industrial

action over workload and minimal staff

numbers

* Closed Morisset Police Station

* Calls for assistance diverted to Toronto

Police 20 km.s away

* Huge population growth, new estates being

developed including 2,500 homesites at

Cooranbong nearby

* Area below National Average Income Level,

and above the State Average for residents

over 55

38 - Guy ZINGARI MP Member for Fairfield * Increased funding for Police Administrative

staff to free up police to front-line

* Extra Community Liaison Officer positions


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* Extra Youth Liaison Officers

* More Police Officers from non-English

speaking background

* More Mobile Police Stations to LAC’s

* Provision of mobile Surveillance Cameras

to LAC’s

39 - Tania MIHAILUK MP Member for Bankstown * Crime scene management - due to large

number serious crimes committed at any

given time there could be as many as eight

(8) police officers off the road to guard each

scene

* Bankstown and Liverpool Hospitals pose

additional strain on resources due to

guarding victims and suspects

* Bankstown has 77 schools, 2nd highest of any

LAC in the State


153


* Bankstown Airport is one of the busiest in

Australia

* Due to large number of pilot training schools

and subsequent air alerts, Bankstown Police

have to respond to incidents as the

Emergency Combat Agency responsible

* Due to First Response Agreement 150 police

are committed to initial response calls from

the public on a weekly basis, half the

staffing complement

* Villawood Detention Centre is within

Bankstown LAC

* Due to unusually high number of Search

Warrants executed daily many by outside

Agencies, large numbers of staff are required

* Significant reduction in crime categories due to

maintaining current numbers of staff


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40 - Alan BECKE Councillor Tumbarumba Shire Council *4 Police servicing area 4.4 thousand square

a retired senior Police officer kilometres, 3 in Tumbarumba and 1 at

Khancoban including Alpine Way and Kosciusko

National Park and upper catchment of Murray

River

* Officer from Khancoban has been on sick for 18

months and not replaced, with all policing

services provided by Tumbarumba 80 kms away

* Incident occurred 10am on a Tuesday where log

truck turned over injuring driver - no police on

duty at Tumbarumba, call diverted to Albury

Duty Officer who did not call out Tumbarumba

officer until following Thursday, gave approval

for log truck to be removed but no police working

at Tumbarumba, Batlow or Khancoban in those

three days.

* Another incident in Tumbarumba, no-one


155


working, no-one recalled by Albury Duty Officer,

escapee from Prison Farm nearby, stole

Motor vehicle after being interrupted by male

occupant of house. Escapee drove to Wagga

Wagga committed further serious crimes and

eventually arrested in Sydney. Initial responding

police vehicle from Culcairn 100 kms away.

* Belief among Tumbarumba people it is useless to

report crime as police will not attend

* Situation now where only 2 officers since

February in Tumbarumba servicing two Sectors

who are both working extremely hard

* Where serious crime is concerned there should

be automatic call out of off duty police

41 - Garry EDWARDS MP Member for Swansea * Policing single greatest issue with constituents

* Lack of police presence in Doyalson, Lake


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Munmorah, Mannering Park, Chain Valley Bay,

Gwandalan and Summerland Point community

* Police Station required at Doyalson to service

those areas

* Proposed new Police facility at Glendale should

be at Belmont

* Inordinate ratio of police to population in Lake

Macquarie LAC places constituents at distinct

disadvantage

* LAC’s in area provide State Protection Support

Unit police, Lake Macquarie Water Police and

Public Order Riot Squad unlike in metro areas.

This I understand means 100 shifts are taken

up in training/accreditation for these staff per

year

42 - Paul LYNCH MP Member for Liverpool * Concern that the new police premises are indeed


157


constructed

* No reduction in staffing levels

* There is a mis-placed view that areas like I

represent should have staffing levels reduced to

increase policing levels in the country. There can

be no proper basis for reducing staffing levels at

Green Valley or Liverpool LAC’s

* Government to retain Death and Disability

scheme for police officers injured on the job

43 - Henry T WONG General Manager, Manly Council * While a sensible approach to merging of police

administration staff is supported, any proposal

that reduces police resources located at Manly

and the CBD would be strongly opposed

* Current operational arrangements where Manly

Police operates in CBD as an independent LAC is

strongly supported


158

NAME ` ELECTORATE/COUNCIL/STATUS SUMMARY OF SUBMISSION

* The appointment of a Commissioned officer who

is a highly effective communicator into the

Commander’s role at Manly is very important

* Imperative that the Commander remain located

at Manly CBD

* Manly must retain its 24 operational police

and Station in Manly CBD

* Strength of operational police be significantly

increased for frontline duties on Friday and

Saturday nights in Manly CBD

* Any proposal to merge operational police will be

strongly opposed to

* Any loss of permanent operational police from

Manly LGA will be strongly opposed to

* The permanent position of the Commander

held by a Commissioned officer who is also

properly delegated to represent the police in all


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business and community issues must be located in

the Manly CBD

44 - Kevin ANDERSON MP Member for Tamworth * Oxley LAC has authorised strength of 132, actual

strength of 129 but which counts those officers

who are on long term sick

* A fully staffed uniformed Target Action Group

with at least 7 operatives led by a Sergeant is a

priority

* Werris Creek currently one officer short with

planned mining settlement of over 1500 occupants

in area placing added strain on the two officers

* Quirindi has 2 officers short and has to provide

support to Werris Creek

* NSW Police have to address the explosion of

mining developments across the north-west of

NSW from Werris Creek up to near the Moree


160


area with the impact on effective service delivery

* Quirindi has authorised strength of 5 officers

with only 2 residences, this shortage continues

to make filling of vacancies extremely

difficult

* Gunnedah similarly will be impacted by the

mining boom - more resources no doubt will be

will be required

* Quality affordable housing difficult to source,

making it difficult to attract police to Gunnedah -

additional police housing is required

* Roster is only being met by injection of Sector

police from Tambar Springs and Curlewis and

sometimes from Manilla

* Tamworth experiencing rise in most crime rates

* Population growth continues due to movement

from far western towns


161


* Growth in Dept. of Housing premises in Coledale

area has seen growth in number of offenders

living in this area

* The service provided by Corrective Services to

Tamworth needs reviewing. Tamworth is the

busiest Charging Station in the Western

Police Region.

* 24 Hour service required from Corrective

Services

* Current staffing model does not provide a true

reflection of the staffing levels at Stations. Long

term sick, permanent restricted or part time

officers are not taken into account.

* Police in one man Stations are being used in the

major centres, to the detriment of those

smaller communities - they are tax payers too


162


* The current level of police being paid out when

unable to work needs reviewing. There are a

large number of jobs within the organisation

that can be undertaken by officers who can not

perform full duties - including front desk, assist

front line police with paperwork, intelligence and

fingerprints

* Police equipment must be looked at especially

vehicles used in country areas as opposed to those

used in the city. Long distances travelled in

country require safer vehicles

* Consideration needs to be given to separate

structures for Metropolitan and regional

LAC’s.

* Policing is a service not a retail business

* Investigations should not be stopped on budget

grounds


163


* Keeping people of NSW safe is the most

important objective of NSW Police Force

45 - Andrew CORNWELL MP Member for Charlestown * Need for extra policing resources in Lake

Macquarie LAC is clear

* There is a need for structural overhaul as city

police stations/commands do not fit into regional

stations/commands

* Community based policing has been replaced

by a business model, and due to past

political imperatives it is primarily a metro-

centric model

* The Audit offers a good opportunity to review

the LAC model

* There is a workload inequality between regional

(Central Coast, Newcastle, South Coast, Lake

Macquarie) and metropolitan - Sydney. Inner


164


city Stations seem over-resourced

* When new officers come through the Academy

they need to be allocated to the regional hubs

* A need for re-structure - very top heavy

* Smaller Commands have the same structure as

the larger Commands with the same amount of

senior roles - the community needs more

Sergeants and Constables

* There needs to be an increase in Patrol Commanders

at Stations that are deemed to be

strategically important. These officers would

have greater autonomy within their local

community but still answer to a streamlined

LAC

* Communities take great pride in their police and

subsequently a more community based feel would

improve sense of community safety


165


* Resourcing would be more equitable if an

allocation model provided the resourcing

priorities

* For too long NSW Police numbers have been

allocated due to the political environment

* An allocation model should compare population

versus crime figures versus demographic

features versus geographic features versus

the number of stations that are servicing the

community

* An inequality in distribution of labour e.g.,

Newcastle LAC with strength of 316 has a

ratio of 1 officer to 475 population whereas Lake Macquarie LAC with 220 officers has a

ratio of officer to 905 population?

* Adaption of rostering system to be more flexible

* Current system needs to be reviewed


166


* Evolution not revolution

* The First Response Agreements need to be

reviewed

* There doesn’t seem to be enough ‘buy-in’ by

human resources or senior management to

ensure quality

* Greater central over-sight of FRA’s as relatively

over-resourced Commands will strike deals

with the police union that mask the inequalities with

under-resourced Commands

* Lake Macquarie Proactive Team is grossly

under-resourced and at times due to the FRA

the Unit has to be rostered to meet the FRA

* I don’t believe the location of Glendale for a new

Station is the best approach. A better long term

investment to upgrade Belmont and Toronto to


167


create a Westlakes and an Eastlakes model.

46 - Terry MacGREGOR Resident of Tumbarumba, retired * Police need to get back to basics and police the

Police Officer community in which they chose to serve

* The present flexible 12 hour rostering system

should be abolished replaced by 8 hour or

9.5 hour shifts

* Police should be encouraged to get to know

their rural communities and it is just as

important to know the name of the high school

captain as it is the names of past/current offenders living in the community

* Communities are happiest when they see the

police walking the beat

* Many inexperienced police are not confident to

leave their motor vehicles to perform foot patrols


168


* Police should be encouraged to join local service

or sporting organisations as it creates good

relations and confidence within the community

* Some adjustments required to the LAC

* There is a great deal of resentment from the

community and Sector staff when they are

tasked to perform duties at a LAC due to staff

shortages - FRA’s. Such decisions leave the

smaller communities vulnerable to crime

and anti-social behaviour

* Police need to police their communities

* I know many junior police who have resigned

from the Police Force to find a career only to

realise they have made a grave mistake.

It is well paid, has lengthy periods of leave

and generous entitlements

* Conduct an audit of LAC numbers in the State


169

NAME ELECTORATE/COUNCIL/STATUS SUMMARY OF SUB MISSION

* Reduce the number of LAC’s

* Reintroduce Neighbourhood Watch

* Increase number of Rural Crime Investigators

* Encourage Police to be part of their community

* increase incentives for police in isolated rural

communities

* Introduce a ‘mortgage benefit scheme’ for police

purchasing a home in a rural community

* Get Police back on the beat

47 - Andrew GEE MP Member for Orange * The Orange Electorate is facing serious

challenges with respect to policing

* The current model of police resource

allocation is failing the Orange Electorate

* The issue of allocation is a cause of great public

concern and in towns like Wellington, outrage

* A new model of resource allocation is required


170


to ensure that the citizens of the Orange

Electorate and Regional NSW get the level of

Police services to which they are entitled

* 30 points highlighting community issues with

policing in Wellington including - not 24 Hour

Station; after hours calls diverted to Dubbo;

under-manned and under-staffed; 2 Detective

positions have been vacant for many years;

considerable under-reporting of crime due to

lack of confidence in local police resources;

widespread anger at police response times,

especially when police have to come from Dubbo

On-call arrangements now in place but calls

invariably passed on to other centres; Wellington

police used where Corrective Services should be

responsible; police accommodation in the town

urgently needs addressing; needs of Wellington


171


placed behind those of Dubbo; an Inspector to be

permanently located in town; major crime

categories on the rise; violent crime most

concerning; Council is doing everything to assist -

CCTV coming; Crime Prevention Plan, however,

issue of police resourcing is critical ; Wellington

Gaol has changed whole dynamic of the town.

* 10 points highlighting community concerns in the

Orange/Cabonne District including; Orange

(Canobolas) LAC under-strength with the Police

allocation model failing the people of Orange;

Police accommodation in Orange an issue with

state of police housing requiring urgent attention

(see media reporting re Molong); impact of crime

on families with discussion on victims

experiences; poor response times on occasions due

to lack of police numbers


172


* 10 points highlighting policing issues in the

Mudgee/Gulgong area, including, the impact

of the huge mining developments on police

resourcing; on any given night there are only 2

officers and one vehicle servicing the Mudgee and

Gulgong area; crime on the rise; car hoons an

increasing problem; more police are needed now,

and with the impact of mining in the future.

* All Commands in Orange Electorate are facing

serious difficulties with police numbers

* Situation in Wellington is chronic - 24 Hours

is needed urgently, with local community

believing the criminal element ‘own the night’

* Entitlement boundaries (remotes) needs to be

moved to accommodate Wellington to make it

more attractive to new police

* All crime statistics be calculated on a ‘per


173


capita’ basis so a more realistic indication of

comparative crime rates is available to the public

* LGA crime rankings to be utilised and refined

* A dedicated Regional Police Force be developed

appropriately resourced

* Submission includes a 3 page letter from the

Mayor of Wellington Council - Councillor Anne

Jones

* Submission includes a 1 page letter from the

Mayor of Mid-Western Regional Council -

Councillor Des Kennedy

* Submission includes 42 pages of press clippings

relating to crime issues in the Wellington and

Orange areas

* Submission includes 17 pages of NSW Bureau of

Crime Statistics and Research ‘Recorded Crime

2006-2010 ‘ for Carbonne Local Government


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Area; Mid-Western Local Government Area;

Orange Local Government Area; and,

Wellington Local Government Area.

48 - Richard TORBAY MP Member for Northern Tablelands *8 page Hansard Report (page 2670) NSW

Parliament 17/6/2011 Motion moved by Hon.

Richard Torbay - ‘Police Numbers’.

* Motion - ‘That this House supports the Police

Association recommendation to raise police

numbers in this State by 1,500 over the next

four years’.

* Amendment to the Motion by Member for

Dubbo, ‘The motion be amended by omitting

all words after “That” and inserting: “this

House supports the Government’s policy to boost

authorised strength of the Police Force from its

current 15,806 officers to a record 16,356 by


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June 2014”’.

* Amended Motion put and resolved in the

affirmative (60 Ayes 20 Noes). Motion agreed to

* Covering comments in Hon. Mr Torbays

document request highlighting the issues of

Police and Resource issues particularly

highlighting the issue of Prison Escort Duties

and the burden they place on front line policing

49 - Cr Peter DUCAT Mayor - Armidale Dumaresq Council *Armidale to maintain their levels of policing

Chair - Armidale Community Safety and support increases to this community

Committee

50 - Jack O’HARA General Manager Walcha Council * Walcha community’s two areas of concerns;

* Inability to contact police outside their shifts,

with no on-call officer available 24 hours a day.

Calls to Walcha are diverted to Tamworth


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and unless there is a threat to a person’s physical

well-being, they will not call an officer out

* Filling of inactive positions. Walcha Station has

never had its full complement of staff due to

police on transfer, long service leave or

any other leave. There should be temporary

officers appointed.

51 - Cr J (Hans) HIETBRINK Mayor - Guyra Shire Council * ‘Authorised police strength’ and ‘actual police

strength’ do not accurately reflect the resources

available to local police Commands. Positions

often left unfilled due to sick/parental/long service

leave/relief in higher ranks/restricted duties and

secondments.

* No relief pool is available to support critical need

in rural areas. Tingha one of State’s highest risk

communities is regularly left un-manned due to


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staff shortages in larger neighbouring centres.

* Support for rural communities is disregarded to

provide short-term supplementary support for

the larger centres.

* Death and Disability provisions encourage abuse

and long term sick leave. It is common knowledge

in rural communities of the sick leave lottery and

million dollar payouts to apparent able-bodied

officers.

* Failure of NSW Police to retain senior

management and provide succession planning.

* The New England has had 3 Commanders in 3

years. One Commander retired although he

wanted to remain in the organisation

52 - Geoff LEE MP Member for Parramatta * Parramatta offers a challenging policing

environment


178


* In excess of 80 submissions received in Hon.

Members office relating to Audit.

* Locate Stations based upon crime spots and

provide sensible geographic coverage to allow

reasonable response times to surrounding

area

* Return resources and staffing at Ermington

Police Statiion to levels sufficient to provide

visible police presence in the area

* Maintain and increase visible police presence

in Parramatta CBD* Investigate the potential for

greater CCTV coverage and monitoring in

Parramatta CBD

* Introduce Neighbourhood Watch

* Establish a Taskforce into organised crime in

Parramatta

* More activity from the Harris Park Community


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Liaison Officer and a more visible police presence,

particularly after hours

* A greater willingness by police to investigate petty

crime and complaints

53 - Andrew FRASER MP Member for Coffs Harbour * Meeting held on 18.7.11 in Electoral office with

community leaders to gain community views

* The need for Police Officers to have an affinity

with the local community

* Police are reactive, need to be proactive

* The difficulties of policing a large rural

Electorate with a number of small communities

* The need for Police visibility on the streets

* Consideration to be given to changing foot patrol

patrol policy in rural areas, allowing one-out

patrols rather than two-out patrols

* The recognised high stress levels of current Police


180


officers

* The need for domestic violence victims to have

follow-up consultations with the original

reporting Police officer

* Aboriginal Police officers need their own office

space to enable privacy when speaking with

Aboriginal community

* Suggestions for encouraging retired Police

officers to return to work perhaps part-time to

assist

* Urgent need for a separate Policing model

for Regional and Rural communities, to a

City model

*All smaller stations in Coffs Harbour LAC are

not 24 Hour and calls diverted to the bigger

station after hours

* These stations can be left without any police


181


presence for extensive periods of time

* Offer of Coffs/Clarence LAC as pilot site for new

Regional model

54 - Chris PATTERSON MP Member for Camden * An area with a very fast growing population

* Community concerned with the move of Police

Station from Camden to Narellan

* Perception is police are not readily seen as

before and this raises fear of security

* A register for the elderly and frail and who

live on their own

* Community Safety Forums need to be established

in other LAC’s

55 - Kevin CONNOLLY MP Member for Riverstone * Strong view that more police resources should be

allocated to Quakers Hill LAC

* The greater travel times in LAC’s covering larger


182


land areas need to be factored into resource

allocation process

* Most pressing community issue is response times

to emergency calls. More police cars on the road

is required

* Strategies to minimise time out of the front line

and therefore maximise police resources

available to the public is supported

* Quakers Hill Police Station needs replacing as a

matter of urgency

* Clear community support for Quakers Hill Police

Station to be retained after new facility built.

* Review of LAC boundaries could benefit

increased response times

* Need for more marked Highway Patrol vehicles

on the roads, rather than speed cameras

* Scepticism about reported numbers of police


183


stationed at an LAC. Public confidence

best served by a robust calculation of strength

which reflects real availability and not including

officers who are not available for duty due to

illness, extended leave or other reasons

56 - Nathan REES MP Member for Toongabbie * Real increases in both recurrent and capital

funding needs to be provided to the police force

in order to maintain community safety

* Funding must also be adequate to provide

necessary support and administrative staff so

that police can concentrate on core business

* Current resource distribution formula should

take into account: emerging issues; have

heightened flexibility; giving appropriate

weighting to crime levels in LAC’s/historic

resourcing/perceived community wellbeing/


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population growth/response times/distances

to be travelled, and, changes in demography

* Too many areas of the State complain about slow

response times and stretched LAC’s

* To maintain its reputation as an employer of

choice the NSW Police Force needs to ensure

Government: continues current Death and

Disability scheme; support police in remote

localities; ensures any change to shift structure

is only done with agreement of NSW Police

Association; provides clear, accessible and

transparent career development and promotion

opportunities for police; continue to prove state

of the art equipment in order that effectiveness

and safety are increased

* Services of Forensics must be rapid, reliable and

accessible across the State


185


* There is clear conflict within Government’s

public statements relating to policing and jails

* If LAC’s are going to be changed the needs of the

local community must be adequately serviced

*Equally, any reduction in LAC’s will reduce

promotion and transfer options for officers

* Service Level Impact statements need to be

prepared for each LAC, and close consultation

with the NSW Police Association

* Government must build sufficient flexibility

into resourcing to ensure specific crime types can

targeted as required

* Government must address as a matter of priority

the dysfunctional relationship between the Police

Integrity Commission and the NSW Crimes

Commission

* Government must address highly confidential


186


data being leaked arising from information-

sharing across jurisdictions. In the interim

NSW Government should suspend information

with Victorian Police Force until they

demonstrate the information can remain secure

57 - Robert FUROLO MP Member for Lakemba * Lakemba Electorate is a unique challenging area

for the Local Area Commands (LAC’s) - Campsie

and Hurstville

* Description of the Electorate including: high

migrant population (45.2% born overseas);

high proportion of constituents come from non-

English speaking background; 19.8% of Islamic

faith; and, 27.2% non-Christian

* High proportion of people with mental illness

* Stronger police presence required in Riverwood

South/Peakhurst area


187


* General Duties Police need to be stationed at

Riverwood Police Station to increase level of

community safety - currently only Highway

Patrol are stationed there

* More specialised Domestic Violence Police

Officers required

* Greater presence of police required patrolling

local parks and reserves

* More Police presence on Railway Stations

* Higher level of engagement between Police and

the community

58 - Tanya DAVIES MP Member for Mulgoa * A visible Police presence communicates a strong

message of safety and security

* Members of the business community and

Chamber of Commerce believe that the

added sense of safety and security helps to


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encourage growth in the local economy

* Regular foot and push-bike patrols required of

St. Marys CBD

* More consultation between Police and community

* St. Marys LAC has higher crime rates than

Penrith LAC but fewer staff

* St. Mary’s LAC boundaries should be changed

with comprehensive detail of areas to be annexed

and areas to be included from other LAC’s, with

commensurate increases in staff

* Increased police presence in Glenmore Park areas

* Increased Traffic Police presence in St. Clair

especially un-fenced recreation fields

59 - Adrian PICCOLI MP Member for Murrumbidgee * It is imperative that police attached to local

police stations are able to work at their allotted


189


stations

* Current Local Area Command structure does not

work

* Cluster system has given rise to numerous

complaints from Councils in the Electorate

of lack of police presence in the smaller towns

and villages

* Cluster system only serves to concentrate police

into stations in large population centres at the

expense of the smaller towns.

* The community policing aspect of rural policing

is ignored under the Cluster model

* Minor crimes and anti-social behaviour are not

given priority and sometimes not even attended to

*Calls to un-manned Stations are diverted to larger

Stations and are not responded to for hours, if

at all


190


* Crimes are increasingly going un-reported

* Having a police officer on duty in the smaller

centres instils trust and sense of security in the

community

* Concern where there is a clear inability to replace

incumbent officers when they are absent (on

Leave etc.,) Medical retirements are further

complicated and drawn out, all the while the

community suffers

* The reduced physical presence of police on our

streets can be directly attributed to ‘under

strength’ and not ‘authorised strength’ which is

the common practice - Commands can have an

authorised strength of say 100 (Griffith LAC) but

the actual number who are operational might be

80 because 20 are not available (due to

illness, Leave)


191


* Conducting Police services as a business rather

than a service is not working. It is failing

communities

* The former Police Accountability Teams (PACT)

worked well. Currently, there is a view that

in rural areas that Commanders and their

Inspectors are too far removed from communities

and Councils

* Consultative Committees/Neighbourhood Watch

should be re-instated

* There should also be a Police Minister’s Advisory

Council established so that the Minister can

hear from ‘grass roots’ people on a regular

basis

* The Volunteers in Policing Program should be

further explored


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60 - Barbara PERRY MP Member for Auburn * Any reduction in staff in either Bankstown

or Flemington Commands could have an

adverse effect on the current stable or

falling rates of crime

* Resources in both Commands need to be

enhanced

* Some community members have raised the

issue of response times by police but this is

due to their resources being stretched

* On-going funding required for administrative

staff positions

61 - Dr Arthur FRAUENFELDER Chair Northside Chamber of Commerce * There is direct correlation between anti-social

behaviour in our CBD and the number of police

officers who have presence there late at night

David KOSCHITZKE Chair Albury Chamber of Commerce * Soiling in shop doorways, smashed windows and

other property damage and violent behaviour


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and un-provoked attacks at night are

dramatically reduced when police simply walk

around

* Increased numbers of police are required

62 - Andrew STONER MP Member for Oxley/Deputy Premier * Over many years have made numerous

representations regarding insufficient on the

ground resources for the Mid North Coast and

Coffs/Clarence LAC’s

*Significant population growth on the Mid North

coast of NSW

*Mid-North Coast LAC has not received its share of

recruits particularly in comparison with metropolitan

commands

*This under-resourcing has placed significant pressure

and additional challenges on the LAC


194


* The main issues that continue to be raised

include - the need for 24 hour policing; the need

for high visibility policing, beat police; and,

maintaining a presence at smaller country

stations

* The current policing ‘cluster’ of

Wauchope/Comboyne/Ellenborough is outdated

and fails to recognise the considerable urban

growth in and around Wauchope

Lack of 24 hour coverage in the Wauchope area,

response times can be lengthy where cars have

to come from Port Macquarie

* Significant social challenges and issues in the

Kempsey area. Juvenile crime is a significant

problem and places enormous strain on workload

of police. With the large distances between

Bellbrook and South West Rocks police vehicles

have to travel places additional pressures


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* South West Rocks is a rapidly growing area that

requires additional police resources - one officer

there is not enough

* Officer at Bellbrook is on long term sick and

needs to be replaced urgently. Kempsey is too

great a distance for a car to travel to answer

calls there

* Crescent Head requires a permanent police

presence

*In the Nambucca Heads/Macksville/Bowraville

cluster, serious consideration must be given to

making Macksville a 24 hour Station to ensure

Kempsey or Port Macquarie do not have to cover

this area when no staff are available

* Dorrigo Station must have its staff increased to

at least three - to what it used to be. Again, the

distance from Coffs Harbour is too great to

ensure satisfactory response calls for service

from these areas.


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* Proposal to establish a NSW Police Force

Reserve. The United Kingdom (Special

Constables) and Canada (Auxiliary Constables)

have long histories of allowing volunteers to

serve on a part-time basis alongside regular

sworn police. A model needs to be similar to the

Australian Army and guided by the rules,

regulations and restrictions governing existing

probationary constables in the NSW Police Force

(Further detailed information on this proposal is

attached to the submission).

* Proposal to broaden the role of NSW Police

Special Constables. Transfer of civilian roles be

restricted to police stations allowing police to

be deployed to the community (Further detailed

information on this proposal is attached to the

submission).


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63 - Katrina HODGKINSON MP Member for Burrinjuck * The Hon. Member’s submission contains

individual representations from the following

Councils; Boorowa, Cootamundra, Cowra,

Harden, Upper Lachlan, Weddin, Yass Valley and

Young. The following priorities are taken from

these submissions;

*24 hour policing in Cowra is the major initiative

required in the Electorate and needs to be

addressed urgently

* 24 hour policing in Young

* New police station for Cowra

* New police station for Yass

* New police station for Gundagai (or complete

refurbishment)

*New police residence at Quandialla

* Upgrade police station at Quandialla

* Air conditioning for Cowra police station

* Other issues;


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* Boorowa Shire - Highway Patrol be located in

Boorowa due to Lachlan Valley Way; police

residences a factor in attracting police

*Cootamundra - concerned at recent comments

of Commander ‘Young needs to be 24 hour and

the Commander there as well’.

*Cowra - Crimes go unreported due to phone

diverted to Orange; police being drawn from

outlying stations to fill vacancies at Cowra

Harden - Urgent attention needed for stations

and residences; more resources for stock theft;

stop taking police from smaller stations to fill

vacancies at the large ones; stop putting long

term sick on the count as being active

*Upper Lachlan - Gunning policeman never

visible there, always on duty at Yass, Tuena the

same. Bigga residence supposed to be repaired 2

years ago, still waiting and no officer there


199


*Weddin - Vacancies at Quandialla, Greenthorpe

and Caragabal. Police residence at Quandialla

uninhabitable. Residence at Greenthorpe been

vacant for some time. Officer from Caragabal

lives residence but works at Forbes. No police on

duty at Grenfell

*Yass Valley - Growth in Murrumbateman will

need to be addressed and consider a new police

station there

(The Hon Member’s submission also contained a

lengthy, detailed submission from a Ms Sally

Fruedenstein supporting Young becoming a 24

hour station

64 - Carmel TEBBUTT MP Member for Marrickville * Local police are over-stretched and additional

police and administration staff required

* Concern raised in the time it takes to fill

vacancies at Marrickville PCYC


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* Graffitti is an ongoing issue and needs

dedicated police resources

* Local police need support to deal with motor

cycle gang violence

* Government must retain the existing death and

disability scheme for officers hurt on the job

65 - Cr John CHEDID Mayor Parramatta City Council * Propose Rosehill LAC be transferred from South

West Metropolitan Region to North West Region

to enhance service delivery and align more with

LGA boundaries

* Crime and perception of crime is of major

concern

*Presence of beat and bike patrols in CBD needs

to be maintained

* Concern with the concentration of police

resources at Granville police station. Response

times are hampered by heavy traffic in the LAC.


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* One car crew to operate from Ermington at all

times to provide quicker response

66 - Robyn PARKER MP Member for Maitland * Beresfield Police Station be manned for at

least two shifts per day due to increasing

populations in the Beresfield, Tarro, Woodberry

and Thornton areas.

67 - Paul TOOLE MP Member for Bathurst * 2010 Bathurst Regional Council community

consultation survey findings

* Call for increased police numbers at night and

on weekends in the Bathurst area

* Identified need for adequately resourced Police

Crime Prevention Officer at Chifley LAC

*Identified need for adequately resourced Police

Youth Liaison Officer at Chifley LAC

* Increase in resources to Bathurst PCYC

* An Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer be

permanently appointed to Chifley LAC


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* Increased rostering of police in the 8 villages in

the area

* Re-introduction of the ‘District’ model with

officer in charge position being attached to each

station

* Increased ability to be more proactive

* Lack of leave supplementation - vacancies not

filled

* High turn-over of senior officers

68 - Clayton BARR MP Member for Cessnock * Concept of LAC painfully frustrating

* No local police/local issues

*LAC’s and allocation of staffing seems to

completely fail to grasp geographical distances

and the differences between city LAC’s and

country LAC’s

* Beresfield and Tarro have a ‘closed’ police

station - youth gangs laying siege to community

and police coming from Maitland do their best


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but are continually thwarted through lack of

permanent presence. Beresfield needs to be re-

opened

*Branxton police officer works majority of time

at Singleton

* Cessnock in urgent need of re-build - over 100

years old

* Detectives needed at Cessnock

*Kurri Kurri far better placed as the centre of

the command and not Maitland

* Communities of West Wallsend, Barnsley and

Edgeworth serviced by Lake Macquarie with the

closure of the Wallsend Station.

* Officers on extended leave significant impact

on force numbers in LAC’s throughout the

Electorate. First Response team thin in numbers

*Current allocation used for staffing ignores

geography and nearest back-up. Needs to be

calculated on ‘available’ staff.


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69 - Candy BINGHAM Chair Little Manly Precinct *Calls for retention of Manly LAC with its

commander at Manly

* Strengthening of operational resources in Manly

on Friday and Saturday nights

70 - Brian EDE Vice President Bulahdelah Chamber of * Numbers have been significantly reduced and

Commerce calling for 4 general duties officers including a

Sergeant. No senior officer at Bulahdelah

* No local police presence during 10pm and 7am

71 - Allan SKINNER Resident of Wingham * No resident police in a town size of 5,000 when

there were 3 and 2,500

* Two officers always working in Taree

* Friday and Saturday nights no police presence

72 - Glen HANDFORD General Manager Great Lakes Council * Limited increase in resources in last 15 years

* Insufficient numbers allocated to Forster to

maintain 24 hour operation

* Bike patrols to be increased


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* Strong objection to having the Taree command

re-located to Port Macquarie or Kempsey

73 - Shane McLeay President Taree Business Chamber * Lack of police presence in Taree CBD

74 - Di RAYSON Project Officer for Wingham Chamber *Lack of rostered police in Wingham

of Commerce * Wingham police station closed due to

insufficient staff

* Increasing anti-social behaviour in town area

* No longer a relationship between a ‘local’

officer and the community

* Lack of proper response times to incidents on

Friday and Saturday nights, 35 minutes from

Taree is not good enough

* More attention paid to supply of liquor to

minors

75 - Gerard JOSE General Manager Greater Taree City * Major upgrade of Taree Police Station urgently

Council required


206


* Increase in operationally focussed police

numbers to ensure effective 24 hour presence

* Community of Wingham crying out for more

police presence

* Coopernook Police station be re-opened

* Permanent police presence at Hallidays Point,

and Old Bar

* Appropriate planning be completed for the

potential growth of the new development of

Brimbrin (25,000)

76 - Peter ROONEY Old Bar Chamber of Commerce * Lack of police in Old Bar area

* No follow up for crimes and calls from

residents

77 - F A McMARTIN ---- * Police numbers, police stations and resources

are concerns and need addressing


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78 - Harold SKETCHLEY Resident of Wingham * No public notice of closure of Wingham Police

Station

* Lack of police numbers

79 - Jill DEER Resident of Wingham * No Sergeant at Wingham

* no police seen in town

80 - Carolyn CALVERT Resident of Wingham * 24 hour police station in Wingham

* more police foot patrols during day

* night patrols on foot and driving around

81 - Ian A YOUNG Resident of Wingham * Police station in Wingham closed

* Can’t recall last time he saw a policeman in

the town

82 - R S and M E MURRAY Residents of Wingham * Lack of 24 hour presence in Wingham town of

5,000 people

83 - Marcia and James GILLIGAN Residents of Wingham * Lack of police presence in Wingham


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84 - Joan HALL Secretary Harrington Community * Re-open Coopernook police station

Action Group * One police officer to be stationed at

Harrington for Christmas holiday period

* Planning for permanent police presence at

Harrington

85 - Gary ROLLINGS Chairman Manning Valley Liquor * Minimum staffing levels only at the 2 24 hour

Consultative Committee stations of Taree and Forster

* Nabiac, Coopernook and Wingham not staffed

*Serious lack of police resources in the Manning

Great Lakes LAC for many years

86 - Steve CANSDELL MP Member for Clarence * Urgent need for minimum of 7 additional police

to both Casino Police Station and Maclean Police

Station to enable them to have 24 hour presence

* many instances where only one officer or

occasionally no police presence in the Lower

Clarence area with a population of 18,000 and

28,000 in holiday periods


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NAME ELECTORATE/COUONCIL/STATUS SUMMARY OF SUBMISSION

* No excuses for police responses up to 2 days

later to call for service

* Critical need for additional police

87 - Thomas GEORGE MP Member for Lismore * Huge population growth in this far northern

area of NSW requiring more resources

* Long distances travelled by police creates

great demand on and pressure on response times

* The levels of long term sick and stress leave is

unacceptable

* Stations need senior police based at them and

not having to come from central commands

88 - Ian LUCAS Secretary Grong Grong Progress * Grong Grong Police Station not manned for

Association and Hall Committee many years but the residence used by officers

stationed in Narranderra

* Residence now not used and going to rack and

ruin - if not being used by police then give it to

teachers or private rental


210


* Police officer resides in Ariah Park Police

residence but does all his shifts in Temora and

does not have any relationship with the local

community

* Strongly suggest one man stations remain in

towns like Ariah Park and that those policemen

spend their time in their own locality and not

just reside there

* PACT meetings need to return

89 - Nigel JUDD Chairman Ariah Park Community *Temora at full strength has only 50% of officers

Projects Inc available to cover the whole area

* The current system of reporting police numbers

is misleading and inaccurate and do not take

into account leave or secondments

* There needs to be a return to commu7nity

policing - police visibility and talking with

people

* There needs to be a commitment to one


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man stations

* Reintroduce PACT meetings

* Careful consideration of placing ex-locals in

same location as police officer

* Current relationship between police and local

government is poor

* System of telephone response to reports is

haphazard.

* When complaints are made about police issues,

we are immediately subject to a highway patrol

blitz

90 - Gary LEVELLE General Manager Temora Shire Council *Need for a police station to9 be re-established

at Strathfield

* The police command that services Strathfield is

Auburn 9 kms away, whilst the closest police

station is Burwood just 1.8 kms away. Need to

look at the boundaries


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91 - Charles CASUSCELLI MP Member for Strathfield * Crime has increased significantly in the

transport node, whilst three police stations in

the near vicinity have closed

* The level of policing in the Electorate is poor,

police patrolling rarely occurs, visibility is

almost nil, with constituents being very alarmed

at lack of action in many instances

92 - Russ PIGG General Manager Shoalhaven City * Submission ‘Policing needs of the Shoalhaven’

Council * Provision of 24/7 police station in Sanctuary

Point

* Ulladulla police station to be upgraded and

manned 24/7

* General increase in policing establishment

numbers across the Shoalhaven

* Shoalhaven LAC has a police to population ratio

of 1:697, compared with Lake Illawarra LAC

1:380 and Goulburn 1:450


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93 - Craig BAUMANN MP Member for Port Stephens * Continual complaints about the lack of police

presence in the Tilligerry Peninsula, Tea Gardens

and Medowie areas

* Lemon Tree Passage police station is almost

never open

* Staffing levels fluctuate in the Port Stephens

LAC outstations (6 stations) because the officers

almost always are seconded back to Raymond

Terrace to make up for shift short-falls

* Long term sick numbers are impacting on the

availability of staff

* Both Raymond Terrace and Nelson Bay being 24

hour stations are impacted on with lack of staff

* Poor rostering (done at LAC)

* Submission accompanied by submission from

local branch of PANSW calling for an increase in

the LAC of minimum of 26 officers, 23 constables

and 3 sergeants.


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94 - John WILLIAMS MP Member for Murray-Darling * Wentworth Shire - law and order in Wentworth

and Dareton is at unacceptable levels

* Balranald - spasmodic law and order issues and

inability to get police officers

* Carathool Shire - the removal of police officers

from Hillston to Griffith leaves Hillston without

officers for most days of the week

* Hay Shire - lack of police caused by unfilled

vacancies

* Deniliquin Council - use of police for prisoner

escort duty results in availability of police in

Deniliquin and Balranald.

95 - Mike COLREAVY Acting General Manager * Backfill of positions affected by long term sick

Clarence Valley Council leave

* 14 additional officers to the Grafton (Clarence

Valley Council) area to enable effective 24 hour

policing


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* flexible allocation of resources in response to

seasonal and episodic variations of demand

* recognition of the expanded role of community

policing

* the generation of an equitable strategic human

resourcing model based on workload,

demographics and community need.

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