Members of the Port Macquarie-Hastings community were given the opportunity to voice their concerns relating to crime at a Community Safety Precinct Committee (CSPC) Meeting.
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The meeting was on at the Wauchope Senior Citizens Hall on Tuesday, February 18 and three members of staff from the Mid North Coast Police District hosted the event.
Some residents raised concerns about the presence of police officers, particularly in the sub regions of Wauchope and the Camden Haven.
There are seven police officers stationed at the Wauchope station and four at Laurieton.
Detective Chief Inspector Guy Flaherty said it's important residents report crimes through phoning the stations, or triple zero in an emergency.
If police are not present at the outstations of Wauchope or Laurieton, the phone call will be diverted to Port Macquarie Police Station or Kempsey Police Station after five rings.
Insp Flaherty said police officers are often out investigating crimes, rather than spending time at the Laurieton and Wauchope stations.
Insp Flaherty also urged people not to report crime via social media, as it is not monitored 24/7.
Given the anticipated population growth for Bonny Hills and the Lake Cathie area, one resident raised the need for a station located at Lake Cathie.
Insp Flaherty said a planned upgrade for the station at Laurieton is expected to address and service this growth in the population.
Police officers also discussed a number of statistics in relation to crime at the meeting on Tuesday, February 18.
The staff explained a high statistic for a particular issue (eg retail theft) is not necessarily negative.
A higher statistic can be due to a targeted police operation, which has focused on arresting people who are taking part in these crimes.
The CSPC is aimed at reducing crime and fear of crime. It is the forum through which the NSW Police Force and Government agencies consult the community and other key stakeholders on crime prevention and community safety issues at a local level.
For more information, or to find out when the next meetings are, people can follow the Mid North Coast Police District Facebook page.
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