Yerong Creek residents are pushing hard to keep their local police officer and police residence.
A petition of 180 signatures has protested against the potential loss of their local ‘copper’ and police station which appears imminent.
Rumours were aired in the ERC in early 2009 and gained credence in December when the newly appointed Wagga Wagga Local Area Commander Superintendent David Simmons met with Council.
Acting Local Area Commander Rod Smith said on Monday the pending closure of the Yerong Creek Police Station, “is a corporate decision made by NSW Police and the Wagga Wagga Command will work through this issue with Lockhart Shire Council.”
To deal with the developing crisis, Lockhart Shire Council called an extraordinary meeting on February 2.
It resolved that the Member for Wagga Wagga Daryl Maguire be requested to arrange a deputation to meet with the Minister for Police to discuss the policing situation at Yerong Creek and Lockhart Council area generally.
In the past month there were over 80 crime related reports made in the area. The incidents ranged from break and enters, domestics, malicious damage, drug, alcohol and traffic matters.
Citizens accuse the NSW Police Service of not understanding rural policing.
They fear the long wait and lack of local knowledge from police coming from Wagga Wagga to a rural community located on the Olympic Highway.
“In the case of an emergency such as fire and car crashes, local knowledge is imperative,” Yerong Creek farmer Ross Edwards stressed this week.
He believes face to face policing in country towns isn’t easy but makes for good training for future police careers.
“Police officers who started in Yerong Creek and made good are Inspector Richard Harvey in Albury and Detective Mark Vaughan, head of the Crime Investigation Department (CID) in Newcastle.”
Lockhart mayor Cr Peter Yates, a farmer in the Yerong Creek area, said the Lockhart Shire Council has thrown its support behind Yerong Creek residents.
“The local police officer plays an important role and has the respect of the community,” he said.
Living in the town, the officer acts as a deterrent to crime and enhances the sustainability of the community.
“He doesn’t just police Yerong Creek itself, but way out to Burrandana, Pulletop, Wesby, Mangoplah, Pleasant Hills and Urangeline.
“If the police officer is taken away and we are serviced from Wagga Wagga, it will be terrible,” the mayor said.
Yerong Creek residents want straight answers from the NSW police service. They argue that police cover a wide area and must have local knowledge.
At present police in the Lockhart Shire cover the townships of Lockhart, Boree Creek, Galore, Collingullie, Uranquinty, The Rock, Milbrulong, Tootool, Mangoplah, Burrandana, Pulletop, Yerong Creek and Pleasant Hills.
Senior Constable Darren Nolan is stationed at Yerong Creek, Senior Constable Jon Morgan at The Rock, and Senior Constables Amy and Matthew Coudrey at Lockhart.
Email a friend