Holroyd and Rosehill local area commands to merge
Rosehill and Holroyd commands will be operating under the banner of Cumberland as part of the new police mergers.
Police commands across Sydney merging will have a direct impact on Merrylands’ Holroyd local area command and Granville’s Rosehill, with the two joining to become Cumberland Police Area Command.
Parramatta and Flemington stations will remain seperate, along with 20 other stations including Blacktown, Bankstown and Mt Druitt.
The two merging LACs are among 18 stations across Sydney who will be joining, the decision made on Friday in an announcement by police commissioner Mick Fuller.
“I’ve spoken since day one about the need to have a flexible workforce,” Mr Fuller said in a statement.
“A large aspect of re-engineering is putting more police back on the frontline and a flexible workforce is a good outcome for the community.”
The restructure is also rumoured to include nine commanders losing their jobs, with Rosehill LAC officers told all current commanders will need to reapply for their position.
Rosehill currently has 112 officers, six fewer than what the area is authorised and Holroyd has 124 officers, 10 fewer than they are authorised.
Granville state Labor MP Julia Finn said the areas were “struggling” with staff numbers.
“Local police officers and residents are anxious this will leave our communities less safe. Both these LACs are at the frontline of keeping our communities safe and secure.
“Our LACs have done an amazing job working with the local community. As western Sydney’s population continues to grow we need to ensure we have more police on the street, not less.”
Shadow minister for police Guy Zangari echoed Ms Finn’s statement when he visited the Granville station this week.
“You’d think the government would have learned from their failures following the forced council amalgamation debacle. But here we go again. Minister (Troy) Grant has been unable to provide any details on which LACs will be shut down as part of this process,” he said
The restructure is said to be completed by May 2018.
No comment has been made about police station closures, with officers told the Granville and Merrylands bases will remain open and officers will be based from either sites.
