Police At Strength: Campbell

Illawarra Mercury

Monday January 21, 2008

By MICHELLE HOCTOR

THE region's police have been offended by claims they were not operating at full strength, NSW Police Minister David Campbell said.

A furore was created over the weekend by opposition spokesman for the Illawarra Greg Pearce who said figures proved the Iemma government and Mr Campbell "continued to mislead the community on police numbers".

He said the Illawarra lost 27 officers in 2007 - 12 from the Wollongong command, 10 from Lake Illawarra and five from the Shoalhaven.

More alarming, he said, was that most of these police were senior officers who, collectively, represented decades of experience on the job.

"It's shameful that David Campbell can't even look after the police in his own backyard," he said.

Mr Campbell said these losses were part of natural attrition, largely through retirement, and those who departed were replaced.

"The authorised strength of the NSW Police Force is 15,206 officers. The day the Opposition began circulating these claims, the strength was more than 15,300 - over 100 statewide," he said.

He added the Lake Illawarra command was operating above authorised strength; Wollongong and Shoalhaven were at strength.

© 2008 Illawarra Mercury

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