HIGH VISIBILITY UNIT TO TARGET THE HUNTER VALLEY – NSW POLICE

Residents of the Hunter and Central Coast will see a more visible police presence on their streets from this month, with the commencement of a newly formed high-visibility police unit.

In January 2019, the NSW Government announced 100 new high-visibility officers to be stationed at five regions across the state. In the Northern Region, six officers will be posted at Newcastle Police Station to service multiple police districts including:

• Newcastle City
• Lake Macquarie
• Port Stephens-Hunter
• Hunter Valley
• Tuggerah Lakes
• Brisbane Water

The Northern High-Visibility Police (HVP) Unit is aimed at preventing, disrupting, and responding to crime by undertaking high-visibility patrols of crime hotspots, roads, transport networks, local neighbourhoods, and planned events.

The HVP Unit will proactively engage with individuals, groups and communities at risk of crime in an effort to build intelligence-driven data. The officers will be specifically trained in intelligence gathering, so they can proactively identify conflicts ranging from local level issues to more serious incidents.

Northern Region Commander, Assistant Commissioner Max Mitchell APM, said the high-visibility teams will be a reassuring presence on Hunter and Central Coast streets, playing a key role in disrupting crime and anti-social behaviour.

“High-visibility policing is a crucial element of regional policing – we want our communities to know we are there in numbers to protect and support them 24/7.

“Local policing is at the heart of any regional community, and the HVP Unit is designed to increase overall confidence for all members of the community, by addressing any concerns from retail owners, to visitors, to residents and workers.