A NEW PROACTIVE policing team is set to be launched in a town battling a property crime wave after four additional trained positions were announced for the New England district.
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Police leaders will decide exactly what to do with the resource boost but the police union (PANSW) has been pushing for more boots on the ground in Moree.
"Frontline policing - boots on the ground, police in the community - that's front and centre and that's the lifeblood of policing," the western region's executive member for PANSW Chris Jordan told the Leader on Wednesday.
"It's a time to celebrate these extra numbers ... the community should feel safer with these increased numbers."
Mr Jordan said police had been "getting flogged" at the coalface of the thin blue line.
"More boots on the ground, the workload gets distributed more ... everyone is going to benefit from this," he said.
"They are now having others to share the burden and do the job well."
Mr Jordan said hopefully the boost would mean more visible police and better response times to allow cops to do what they do best - protect their communities.
Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall made the announcement in Moree on Wednesday.
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He told the Leader the extra constable positions would see a new proactive policing team hit the beat in the town.
The four new officers will be recruited and deployed this financial year. They are part of an allocation of 1500 officers across the state which was announced in 2018.
Oxley Police District will welcome six as part of the allocation.
The Tamworth police union had been pushing for more experienced police to boost the proactive crime team and the domestic violence squad.
Mr Jordan said the union was working closely with NSW Police and agencies on incentive programs now and into the future.
He said a particular focus was on housing availability - which was not a new problem but one that had become worse across the region.
"It's at the front and centre of what we believe needs to be addressed to attract and retain experienced police to communities," he said.
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