Print Email Facebook Twitter More Top cops open $18M Moree Police Station, also concede mining protestors drain resources By Kerrin Thomas and Catherine Clifford Posted 6 hours 40 minutes ago Morees new $18M Police Station. PHOTO: Morees new $18M Police Station. (Photo: Kerrin Thomas, ABC News.) MAP: Moree 2400 The New South Wales Police Minister, Mike Gallacher, says he is not the appropriate person to speak to about police staffing allocations when it comes to dealing with mine and gas protestors. More than 30 people have been arrested in two months of protest activity at mining and coal seam gas locations in the Pilliga and Leard State Forests. When asked if the New South Wales Police Force has talked to mining and gas companies about policing their sites, or setting up exclusion zones, Minister Gallacher says he does not make operational decisions. Youre asking me what conversations the Police Force may or may not have had, he said. Well, there are 16,000 people in the NSW Police Force [and] it would probably be more appropriate a question about any conversations between the police and any local organisation, or indeed otherwise, is a matter best rested with the Commissioner of Police. New South Wales Police Commissioner, Andrew Scipione, concedes coal seam gas and mining protest activity in the Pilliga and Leard State Forests is placing pressure on police resources. But the Commissioner says the right to protest is one of the beauties of the Australian nation. The reality is, if were going to have those protests, we need to make sure they remain safe and lawful, he said. He says its a matter of planning, to ensure enough officers and resources are able to respond. Does it draw down our resources? Yes. Is it necessary for us to to be there? Absolutely, said Commissioner Scipione. The Police Commissioner says hes confident the conduct of his officers at such protests over the past several months has been exemplary. Both the Police Commissioner and the Police Minister opened Morees new $18-million police station on Friday. They were joined by Western Region Commander, Assistant Commissioner Geoff McKechnie. Moree Commander, Superintendent Gelina Talbot, says its a state-of-the-art facility and a building of which the entire Moree and district community is very proud. I would think it sets the benchmark for the state [and] it is a phenomenal building and it clearly sets an impression in Moree, she said. The custody facilities here are first-class and it houses not only the Moree police, but Traffic and Highway Command, our Prosecutions, Forensics and Corrective Services, so its an exceptional facility. Topics: police, oil-and-gas, coal, activism-and-lobbying, moree-2400, narrabri-2390
Posted on: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 06:12:19 +0000