Gunnedah meets with police to discuss crime in communities

Community leaders and the NSW Police met in Tamworth this week to discuss strategies to combat crime in local communities like Gunnedah.

Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson said the meeting between the NSW Police, state and local government aimed to “keep the lines of communication open” to curb what he described as “concerning” incidences of crime in the Gunnedah, Tamworth and Liverpool Plains shires.

“This way we can get a real idea of what’s happening,” Mr Anderson said.

Gunnedah councillor and local crime prevention committee chair Colleen Fuller attended on behalf of Gunnedah mayor Jamie Chaffey who was unavailable to attend.

Mr Anderson said regular meetings will allow regional mayors and local police to further support each other on strategies to target crime in each shire.

“Everybody agreed it’s a good idea to keep these communication lines open,” he said.

The opposition MP also backed calls from the police association for more officers on the ground in Gunnedah.

“We can’t arrest our way out of this … [but] I want more police in Gunnedah,” he said.

“Strength in numbers.”