ONE ON ONE: Meet the region’s new top cop

RICHMOND Police District's new Superintendent, Scott Tanner, is familiar with the territory after dealing the bushfire crisis.

Richmond Police District Superintendent Scott Tanner has been impressed by his new surrounds since joining the area.

THE Richmond Police District's new superintendent Scott Tanner has been impressed by his new surrounds after starting his new role recently.

Supt Tanner is replacing former superintendent Toby Lindsay who moved on recently, and was complimentary of his predecessor.

"There was a vacancy at Richmond with Toby Lindsay moving on, which I might add he has done a fantastic job so it's very easy coming in after a good commander like him."

"I'd spent the last nineteen years in the western region so I felt like it was time for a change and to try a different region."

Supt Tanner has plenty of experience for the role given his time served in New England which he feels will lend itself to his new position.

"Our bushfire zones (in New England) actually intersected with the Richmond Valley bushfire zones so I already had a relationship with those key stakeholders."

 

Richmond Police District Superintendent Scott Tanner

 

Heading into bushfire season, Supt Tanner was confident that the district had a strong team in place to deal with natural disasters.

"We've got a very strong team here at Richmond in regards to emergency management because of their experiences that they've been through I am confident in the team that they've got and the relationships we've got with the other services have us in a really good spot going forward," he said.

"We've got strong resources and strong plans in place to mitigate a lot of those risks."

Supt Tanner said the ability to make a difference in the local community and help the young officers in the area motivated him in this new role.

"The thing that I like about policing is that we all join to make a difference … and where I am at in my career the best part is seeing the young ones come through and developing them into our future leaders," he said.

"What I can see about Richmond is … there is a real strong sense of teamwork and looking after each other in this district."