Lachlan Local Area Command recently hosted local community leaders as part of an initiative to develop a greater knowledge and understanding of policing. The second Community Awareness of Policing Program in Local Area Commands (CAPP in LACs) was a great success and was held at Parkes Police Station on Wednesday, 8th June. Participants included Councillor Barbara Newton, Councillor Chris Roylance, Managing Director of Northparkes Mines Stefanie Loader, Jenny Doecke from the Aboriginal Medical Service, Parkes East Public School Principal Michael Ostler and Councillor Dennis Brady.
Lachlan Local Area Commander, Superintendent Chris Taylor, said the local program is based on the highly successful Community Awareness of Policing Program (CAPP). “CAPP in LACs is an exciting community engagement project that offers the opportunity for our community leaders to get to know us and the diverse range of services we have to offer,” Supt Taylor said. Participants in the program experienced various aspects of police work, including highway patrol, defensive tactics, criminal investigation and forensics. “We also discussed crime prevention, investigation, operational policing, and the training, policies and protocols that guide our decision making processes.
“The program provides members of the community a chance to experience what it is like to be a police officer – it’s a real eyeopener, showcasing the varied and complex duties of policing. By imparting this knowledge to participants, it helps us better understand the needs of the community and foster strong relationships to ensure we work together toward mutual goals.” “We want our community to have full confidence in its police force, and by creating a more informed community through trustedand respected leaders, we believe we can achieve this goal,” Supt Taylor concluded.