NRL stars recruited as secret weapons in fight against bush crime

NRL players will head to the bush next week to show their support for police trying to turn the tide on the frightening rise in serious crimes.

NRL stars will be recruited to help police keep at-risk country youngsters on the straight and narrow.

Players will head to the bush next week to show their support for police trying to turn the tide on the frightening rise in serious crimes involving children as young as five.

The mentoring program follows recent successful trips by Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker, organised by youth crime officers.

The NRL is expected to offer other players to join the initiative in giving kids in the regions a taste of life as a professional athlete.

They will be paired up with mentors, treated to NRL merchandise and, most importantly, given access to players who have proven that smart choices can alter the course of their lives.

Latrell Mitchell is king of the kids in Kempsey last year, challenging them to a game of touch footy. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Police Minister Yasmin Catley is expected to join rugby league boss Peter V’landys and senior police on the trip to Moree on Wednesday.

Mitchell and Walker already star in an educational video — created by The Saturday Telegraph — that is now being shown in several schools around the state.

Mitchell speaks to youngsters about making good choices. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

In the video, the Rabbitohs stars chat with two of the state’s top police officers — assistant commissioners Peter McKenna and Gavin Wood — to share some insight on what it takes to resist temptation and choose hard work over trouble.

Called Choices — You Decide, the video is a key weapon in the arsenal of the NSW Police youth command, which works with juveniles in detention and helps them transition back into the community.

In the video, Mitchell talks about his work with police travelling around the country to dispel myths.

“I just think it’s breaking down the stigma that’s been, you know, generational trauma, I guess,” he said.

“This idea that Aboriginal people and police don’t get on in this country, I think that’s something that we need to break down in our communities.”

Mitchell says he wants to break down the idea that Aboriginal people and police don’t get on. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Mr McKenna said police were grateful that Indigenous communities were allowing officers to come in so they could work together.

He praised the South Sydney stars for giving up their time, and helping to create such a valuable resource.

“The choices they made as young people is the reason for the rewards they reaped since,” he said.

Ms Catley said she was “filled with admiration for these NRL stars and their willingness to give their scarce time back to their communities and our young people”.

“But, equally, for our magnificent police, who really do go above and beyond to tackle these problems with troubled youth at the root cause,” she said.

Ms Catley said that, too often, police were the first point of contact for young people engaging in anti-social behaviour.

“Not only do NSW Police serve and protect, our officers go above and beyond to support the local communities they live and work in,” she said.

“We can’t do enough to divert young people away from the criminal justice system and provide them with the right tools and support to make good choices.”

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