Communities from Bega to Bourke will benefit from new or upgraded police stations, plus a major new state-of-the-art training facility, thanks to a $100 million investment from the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government.
The funding will be used to build new police stations in Bega, Goulburn and Jindabyne, carry out major police station upgrades at Bathurst and Bourke, and create a new police training facility in Dubbo.
As well as a new main police station in Jindabyne, there will also be two new small police stations at Perisher and Thredbo.
It takes the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government's investment in new and upgraded police stations across NSW to $218 million this year, along with a record $583 million investment in 1500 extra police over the next four years.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Police Minister Troy Grant made the announcement today as they attended an attestation ceremony at the NSW Police Academy in Goulburn, where 201 new officers officially joined the ranks of the NSW Police Force.
"The investments we are making in the NSW Police Force – which will reduce crime further and keep our communities even safer – are only possible because of the NSW Liberals & Nationals' economic management," Ms Berejiklian said.
"We have worked hard to get the budget back into shape after years of mismanagement under Labor and now the community is reaping the benefit.
"Our commitment today to deliver new and upgraded stations across the state will ensure that our police have the best facilities and resources to proactively prevent and disrupt crime. It takes our investment to new and upgraded police stations across NSW this financial year to more than $218 million.
"NSW has some of the lowest crime rates in 20 years and we want to do everything we can to help our men and women in blue to make our streets even safer."
Mr Grant said the latest class of recruits are joining one of the most highly respected law enforcement agencies in the world, at a time of unprecedented opportunity – and that many of them would benefit from new police stations at Bega, Goulburn, and Jindabyne, upgraded stations at Bathurst and Bourke, and a new $35 million training facility in Dubbo.
"Never has there been a more exciting time to join the NSW Police Force, with hundreds more recruits just around the corner, and now even more support to ensure our officers have the modern facilities, equipment, and infrastructure they need to do their jobs," Mr Grant said.
"After months of challenging training, these new probationary constables will join their Commands and Districts next Monday to begin their policing careers – with many set to benefit from new stations and training facilities in the near future.
"It's an incredible privilege to put on the blue uniform each day, and I know it's one officers wear with pride because they'll be helping the community, solving crimes, and bringing closure to victims and their families – and that's an honour seldom paralleled in other professions."
NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said with 1500 new officers joining the ranks over the next four years, it's imperative we also have the very best police stations and facilities across the state to support them.
"$100 million is another huge boost for the Force, allowing us to build new stations, improve others and provide an outstanding training centre closer to operational police in the field," Commissioner Fuller said.
The investment in new and upgraded stations announced today follows the Liberals & Nationals Government's record $3.9 billion budget for the NSW Police Force in 2018-19, including more than $118 million to:
- redevelop police stations at Parramatta, Hurstville, Port Macquarie, Cessnock, Broken Hill and Inverell,
- upgrade Gosford police station; and
- redevelop an additional fifteen regional police stations in towns across the state.
