New police commissioner Mick Fuller set to make huge changes, including police station amalgamations
NSW Police Force Commissioner, Mick Fuller has signalled he will make sweeping changes to the force, likely to include amalgamations of police stations and advertising for two new deputies.
NSW
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NSW Police Force Commissioner Mick Fuller has signalled he will make sweeping changes to the force, likely to include amalgamations of police stations and advertising for two new deputies.
In an email to all officers, Mr Fuller said he would make changes to the allocation of police numbers as soon as possible.
“One of my first priorities will be implementing the re-engineering project to ensure that we have the necessary capabilities and flexibility moving forward,” the new Commissioner said.
“This project will be a consultative process involving all stakeholders, including the Police Association of NSW.’’
From this week Mr Fuller will meet regularly with Police and Justice Minister Troy Grant on the progress of the re-engineering project.
In a move that has surprised some in the force, a new selection process will take place to find three deputies, one civilian, despite a panel interviewing hopefuls and making recommendations last year.
Former Commissioner Scipione suggested two names to Cabinet at the time — Mr Fuller and Assistant Commissioner Frank Mennilli.
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But Cabinet rejected the appointment of the deputies at the time, saying it should be up to the new boss to pick his executives, not the departing commissioner.
“The recruitment process for the new deputy commissioners is currently underway,’’ Mr Grant said yesterday.
For more than 12 months the force has been working on creating a new blueprint for the distribution of police and its resources due to the changing crime rates in different parts of the city.
Using a software program imported from the UK called the Workforce Optimisation Solution for Policing (WOSP) the force has been analysing crime data and statistics to accurately map where police need to be deployed.
Insiders say it will see the movement of significant numbers of officers around the city to areas considered under strength.
“For example the northern beaches could easily lose some numbers to places out west, such as Camden, which are under strength,’’ one senior officer said.
“There is also talk of Kings Cross taking over parts of the Rose Bay command and numbers at Cabramatta being redistributed.’’
Mr Fuller said last week a priority would be targeting potential lone wolf attackers.
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