Police on the northern beaches forced to couch surf because they can’t afford to live in the area

A NUMBER of police officers on the northern beaches are couch surfing or sleeping in the back of cars between shifts due to a lack of affordable housing.

Some police have resorted to couch surfing in between shifts. Picture: Danielle Butters.

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A NUMBER of police officers on the northern beaches are couch surfing or sleeping in the back of cars between shifts due to a lack of affordable housing.

The revelation comes as former Warringah mayor Michael Regan urged the Northern Beaches Council to introduce a plan for cheaper housing.

Northern Beaches Police commander Superintendent Dave Darcy said it was “a tough life for a young cop” and he had been made aware of constables sleeping in cars and even taking to couch surfing — staying on friend’s sofas — to be closer to work.

Supt Darcy said this was not the best outcome for crime fighting.

“What we have now is, that the amount of locals when you look at our command structure, we have a crust of senior people who know the area well and are fully integrated,” he said.

“At least 50 per cent of our staff don’t live in the area, they are commuting because they have young families or are young homebuyers who have been competed out of the market.”

Superintendent. Dave Darcy and former Warringah mayor Michael Regan. Picture: Annika Enderborg.

Supt Darcy said the “community is losing out on police who have grown up in the area, they make for far better police in your community”.

He said some young officers had gone to extreme lengths to get some sleep between shifts.

“It is uncommon but they may sleep in the back of a car or couch surf definitely … it is not ideal. That kind of thing does have an affect,” he said.

“It is sometimes more than a 14-hour day. It is tough.

“They get a significant proportion of days off in a row but, nevertheless, they are working huge hours.”

Mr Regan said a byproduct of the amalgamation meant the council had fallen behind with programs such as Warringah’s affordable housing plan.

Mr Regan is chair of the new council’s affordable housing committee and has urged administrator Dick Persson to come up with a plan before several scheduled land releases.

“Because of the amalgamation and transition, some projects of critical importance in the community’s mind have slowed, one such project obviously being the need for affordable housing,” he said.

“I thought Warringah’s was ready to go on exhibition earlier this year, and Warringah's affordable housing committee provided significant input into the draft document.”

He said the policy would have been in line with, if not better than, 10 per cent of new developments having to be affordable housing.

Northern Beaches Council administrator Dick Persson and general manager Mark Ferguson. Picture: Annika Enderborg.

Northern Beaches Council general manager Mark Ferguson said the council supported appropriate measures for affordable housing.

He said it was working on delivering affordable housing for Ingleside, Frenchs Forest and Brookvale.

The Greater Sydney Commission last week released plans, which included a target of five to 10 per cent cheaper rental housing.

Mr Ferguson said the council supports the plans.

Mr Regan described the target as “fairly low” and said the council should commit to at least 10 per cent of upcoming land releases or large scale developments.

Mr Regan said it would be harder to retain key workers — such as nurses for the hospital, police officers, cafe workers and childcare providers — without affordable housing.

“If it excludes them that becomes critical for us as a community,” he said.

“If they can’t get here they are not going to work here. Where are the cooks coming from?” he said.

“We know there is a problem, we know it is getting worse and we should be doing everything we can to address it, because developers won’t and the State Government is too cumbersome, their policies take too long to make an impact.”