Penrith police officer honoured for paedophile watchdog role
MEET Sergeant Melissa Leemon, the NSW Police Force’s first dedicated child protection officer. Her work continually protects the most vulnerable members of our community — our children.
Penrith
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A CHAMPION for the most vulnerable — our children — has been recognised at the Rotary Police Officer of the Year Awards.
Sergeant Melissa Leemon manages Penrith local area command’s child protection register at a time when the Penrith local government area has the fourth-highest rate of child sexual assault victims in NSW behind Blacktown, according to the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research.
She is the state’s first dedicated child protection officer, last year personally co-ordinating the reinvestigation and arrest of a man who was fixated with boys at a local park.
Her dedication to duty saw her awarded a Vocational Excellence Award by Penrith local area commander, Detective Superintendent Brett McFadden, in front of her peers at Penrith RSL Club.
“Our numbers (of registered sex offenders) have come down pretty significantly in the last couple of years and I think that’s because they’re being more closely monitored,” Sgt Leemon, a mum-of-two who only joined Penrith LAC three years ago, said.
“Everyone that I have charged with breaching their child protection obligations has been convicted – I’m pretty happy with that.”
Last year she oversaw the charging of six offenders for breaches of their conditions, and co-ordinated the reinvestigation of one offender who wasn’t on the register.
The quiet-spoken former detective became aware the offender had become fixated with young children.
“Members of the public would say he was acting oddly, watching their children in public places like sportsgrounds, but because he was always in a public place we couldn’t charge him,” Sgt Leemon said.
“Eventually one child came forward. (He’d) videoed him watching him. I charged him with (multiple) counts of stalking. He had been charged with similar things. After I charged him he was convicted of the other matters.”
That is not enough to put him on the child protection register.
“It can be frustrating,” Sgt Leemon said.
“I think the scariest thing is for every known person on the register, there’s so many who aren’t known. I’ve got men and women, from 18 up to 80 ... on the register.
“If someone is convicted of a child assault offence or having child abuse material they get placed on the child protection register (which) I manage.
“If they fail to report any information — including their address, email addresses, the car they drive, any children they have contact with — they can be arrested.
“You can be placed on the register for eight years, 15 years, or life.
“If you reoffend or breach (your conditions) then quite often you’ll be put up.
“I’ve had a few recently who have been put up to life in the last 12 months.
“I don’t think there is this role in other commands.
“I think it’s fantastic, and a great tool to have.”
BOSCAR’s latest figures show there were 106 child sexual assault victims in Penrith LGA from January 2016 to December 2014, or 220.2 victims for every 100,000 people.
Of those 16 were domestic violence-related.
Constable Lisa Myers was named the 2016 Police Officer of the Year for “courage in difficult circumstances” at the awards ceremony at Penrith RSL.
She rendered first aid to a dying man who was badly burnt during an Emu Plains pub fire.
The 26-year-old has submitted 259 reports and arrested and charged 51 offenders the crowd was also told.
“Self esteem and the human spirit is very much alive in my command,” Supt McFadden said on the night.
Other attendees at the ceremony included district governor Rotary 9685 Bruce Lakin and Rotary Club of Nepean president Frank Portelli.
Police Commissioner Mick Fuller sent his apologies, as the Coroner had handed down findings into the Sydney Lindt Cafe siege that same day. He asked Supt McFadden to read out a message to the finalists that he’d written.
■ The Police Officer of the Year Awards: Acknowledge outstanding acts of courtesy, kindness, understanding, compassion, courage or devotion to duty provided to the local community during 2016 by officers of the NSW Police Force serving the community in the Penrith local area command.
■ The 2016 finalists were: Constable Guy Hollard, 33 (proactive crime team); Constable Todd Slaughter, aged 28 (general duties); Constable Olivia Carroll, 23 (general duties); Sergeant Melissa Leemon, 38 (crime management unit); Constable Lisa Myers, 26 (general duties); Senior Constable Jason Hattch, 38 (general duties); Constable Jared Lacey, 29 (general duties); Sergeant Benjamin Hallam, 33 (general duties); and Detective Senior Constable Grant Prior, 42 (criminal investigation).
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