Tweed robbed of new officers

RECENTLY re-elected Tweed MP Geoff Provest has shrugged off blame for the region receiving less than one per cent of the state’s new police recruits.

NSW Police Force has revealed just two of its 261 graduating constables will work in northern NSW, despite the police association saying the area is in a “staffing crisis”.

In December last year, Mr Provest said the district would be bolstered by the Liberal NSW Government’s promise to deliver 1500 new officers at a cost of more than $500 million over four years.

He said at the time he had discussed the issue with the NSW Police Commissioner and expected more than 10 officers would join the district come February this year.

Tweed Byron Police Association representative Darren McCaughey described the district as mired in a “staffing crisis” and in desperate need of fresh faces.

When asked to comment after it was revealed just two constables would come north, Mr Provest said the decision was largely out of his hands.

“At the end of the day, it’s up to the business case models put together by our local superintendent, which I have full faith in, and also the commissioner,” he said.

“I’m guided by the professionals in the field. I rely on them, their advice.”

The Nationals MP said more police, both graduates and more experienced officers, would flow into the Tweed in coming months and years, as per the government’s pledge – but he could not guarantee an increase in the short term.

“There will be the potential for more (officers in the Tweed),” he said. “There should be further future full-time officers coming. Can we ever have too many? Probably not.”

Mr Provest said “other than stolen cars” crime rates in the Tweed “remained static” and the district enjoyed a 90 per cent success rate regarding convictions.

“It’s one thing to put the handcuffs on them, but it’s another to get them through the court system,” he said.

He said Tweed police would benefit from upgraded police equipment and databases.

Mr Provest met with Max Mitchell, the Assistant Commissioner Northern Regions, a month ago and said “he’s fully aware of it (the situation)”.