NSW Sheriff’s Office’s 200th birthday: Meet Nowra Court officer in charge Mel Fone

“I’m proud to be a sheriff's officer, I’m a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community and I’m proud to live and work in Nowra.” Meet Mel Fone, Nowra Court’s Officer in Charge.

Mel Fone is Nowra Court's Officer in Charge. Picture: Supplied.

Two centuries ago, the NSW Sheriff’s Office was established by the state government to ensure the safe and successful operations of NSW courts.

Now, it has become the state’s oldest law enforcement agency, with sheriffs operating in every NSW court to ensure orderly operations and the safety of everyone.

Nowra Court – which opened to the public in March 1896 before it was redeveloped in 2007 – has been kept safe for five years by Melissa Fone, better known by all at the coastal court as Mel.

Ms Fone has been the court’s Officer in Charge [OIC] for nearly three of those five years, leading a team of court sheriffs who ensure the safety and orderly operations of the court.

“As the OIC, I oversee any security issues, day to day security duties, administration duties for my staff and organising rosters; basically just keeping the ball rolling,” Ms Fone told The South Coast News.

Part of the job is breaking up any volatile situations before they get out of hand, however for the 39-year-old, using her voice is better than her hands.

Mel Fone has been the Nowra Court OIC for three years. Picture: Dylan Arvela.

“De-escalation is a huge part of the job,” she said.

“It’s my job to defuse stuff before a fight happens.

“That’s the core of this job – to keep everyone in the building safe.”

However, what makes Ms Fone more inspirational for her fellow co-workers and the broader court community is not just her talent leading with calmness, but her achievement of gaining a powerful position as an openly gay woman.

“I am only aware of one other gay person within the NSW Sheriff’s Office, so it’s quite a rarity in this industry,” she said.

“It’s not very common to have an LGBTQ+ person in a position like this, so that’s a fact I’m proud of – not just to be a woman, but a lesbian in a position of power.”

However, for Ms Fone, one question is asked more than any other: are you a police officer?

“I explain this to people all the time,” she said.

“Sheriffs are not cops.”

Ms Fone said a court sheriff’s primary task was to keep courts in check, while also completing other community tasks such as money collecting and evictions.

“Police officer’s do everything else,” she said.

“The only similarity is we both wear blue.”

For Ms Fone, being an OIC has been a rewarding position and she encourages any young women to “give it a crack”.

“You don’t have to be the biggest, the bravest, the strongest; if you’re good at talking to people, that's most of the job,” she said.

“I’m proud to be a sheriff's officer, I’m a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community and I’m proud to live and work in Nowra.”

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