Hunter’s newest top cop, Inspector Dan Skelly, takes up role as officer in charge at Port Stephens LAC
He’s no stranger to the Hunter, having grown up in Georgetown and previously worked for Newcastle and Lake Macquarie commands. Now Inspector Dan Skelly has come back home after a stint as Dubbo’s top cop.
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He’s been a police officer for “20 odd” years.
But with the COVID-19 pandemic gripping the world, it’s “unprecedented” times for the Hunter’s newest top cop.
“We are now enforcing regulations that prevent people from going about their lawful business, where once before it was a person’s right to do certain things,” Inspector Skelly said.
“It’s now against health regulations and we are the one group of people that need to police that and for the good of the community.
“It’s really remarkable times for policing.
“It does come with some trepidation, we are learning every day, the regulations can change daily and we need to be abreast of what we can and can’t do.”
Inspector Skelly is the Port Stephens Hunter newest officer in charge, with Chief Inspector Al Janson taking up a position on the Central Coast.
But he’s no stranger to the Hunter, having grown up in Georgetown, and already having worked within the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie commands following stints in Sydney.
He knows it will be quite the sea change from being top cop in Dubbo, looking after the Wellington LAC, for the past five years.
“Dubbo is a township of about 40,000 odd people, very regional, and police are more visible in the community,” he said.
“Newcastle and the greater area has about 300,000 people.”
Stationed at Raymond Terrace, Inspector Skelly is determined to make an impact as the new kid on the block.
A big focus on his agenda, anti-social behaviour and zero tolerance for assaults on police.
“Anti social behaviour is one of my pet hates. I’m a strong believer the general public is entitled to go about their business in public without being affronted by people displaying anti-social behaviour,” he said.
“Something that I rarely show any leniency towards. people should feel safe in the public.
“I’ve seen and experienced police assaults, and it’s certainly something I personally have no tolerance for.
“Police come to work like anybody else to do a job, they also need to feel and be safe and go home to their families uninjured at the end of their shifts.”
He’ll also take up the emergency management portfolio.
And something he’d like to achieve in his new role as officer in charge.
“The one thing I’d like people to say was at least he was fair,” he said.
“I would hope people would say he’s firm but compassionate, he’s always ready to listen to the other side of the story.”