Concerns have been raised regarding the safety of staff working in the Griffith Local Area command as the new district models begin to roll out.
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A spokesman from NSW Police has confirmed the office for the new Murrumbidgee Police District will be located in Griffith, but no further information on staffing changes or job losses has been announced.
The Public Service Association (PSA) has made their concerns regarding the job safety of specialist and support positions clear.
General secretary for PSA Stewart Little said the potential cuts and changes to staffing could in fact take police off the front line.
“Every time you cut or take away a specialist or support person, you pull a cop off the street, because someone has to do that work,” Mr Little said.
“What we are seeing with the whole process is a Back to the Future like approach.”
Every time you cut or take away a specialist or support person, you pull a cop off the street, because someone has to do that work.
- Public Service Association General secretary Stewart Little.
With more than 20 of these specialist staff based in the Griffith LAC area, he said the possible staffing cuts could have a huge impact on critical support roles such as forensics and radio control.
However, a spokesman for the NSW Police said the new model will increase police presence and effectiveness, not take away resources.
“Flattening the structure will see an increase to front line positions, meaning more boots on the ground in the community,” the spokesman said.
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“It means police will have a larger pool of resources to proactively target, disrupt and prevent crime.”
While confirming sworn officers are safe, no word will be given on the other positions until the new district commander is announced and the model is active over the coming months.
“We have asked the government to rule out this, but we have yet to see evidence that they won’t go down that path,” Mr Little said.
The concerns have been raised after the announcement of police amalgamations, with Griffith LAC merging with the Hay sector of Deniliquin LAC in order to become the Murrumbidgee Police District.