Rob Critchlow leaves The Hills police area command after five years in charge

A lot has changed in the three decades that commander Rob Critchlow has been on the police force. After five years at the helm of The Hills police, the veteran officer is now moving on.

Superintendent Rob Critchlow (centre) will be passing the baton on to the officers at The Hills police area command. Pictured is Supt. Critchlow, Constable Thomas Coventry and Constable Storm Rixon. Picture: David Swift

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GROWING up in Goulburn, home of the police academy, and next door to a policeman was the start of a career that lasted almost 30 years for Rob Critchlow.

In 1989 The Hills PAC commander saw the newspaper headline: “Police Flee Violence in Redfern.”

“I thought it was unfair to be critical of someone but not walk in their shoes,” he said.

He joined the force at Waverley in 1990 and on Friday he leaves The Hills after five years. He will be replaced by Jason Joyce.

In a few short years Supt. Rob Critchlow became a core part of The Hills community, including pitching in with Castle Hill Rotary club members led by Mike Blair to replace a deck for wheelchair-bound teen Scott Green who's dad Phil is a policeman.

Supt Critchlow will embark on a 12-month secondment with the Australian Institute of Police Management at Manly, where, in between swimming, he will mentor officers from Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand and the Pacific.

He will work with officers in charge of crimes such as terrorism.

“We’re definitely in high demand,’’ Supt Critchlow said of Australian police. “The US is very fractured because of the number of jurisdictions so we can deliver some strong evidence-based practises and our program can be rolled out across the system.”

Equipping officers with leadership skills is a key part of the role.

“A good leader is someone who is focused on the needs of people who work with them,’’ Supt Critchlow said.

“Good leaders aren’t self absorbed, they’re extremely focused, they’re dedicated. If leaders don’t embrace knowledge, they’ll fail.”

Supt Critchlow has built a strong rapport with the community and leaves with “heartwarming” memories.

Supt. Critchlow (in red) in action during the charity fight night. Picture: Robert Gibbs/Beaches Images

He also took part in the NSW Police Commissioner's Challenge, which used an ice bath and a lot of courage to raise funds.

“When I first came to the command I needed a bit of invigoration; I was a bit stale,’’ he said. “There was a perception there’s not a lot happening (in The Hills) but there was a lot of opportunities to reduce crime and make our community safer.”

He is proud of joining forces with the community to tackle domestic violence and overseeing break and enter incidents halving since 2014.

“The community is growing and it’s evolving and handling the change well,’’ he said. “We’ve seen new, larger roads and these massive projects coming on.

“There’s still uncertainty of exponential change and we’re trying to keep pace … I think we’ve kept a lid on things.”