A Narromine councillor is so disgusted by crime in the shire he has said policing policies will affect his vote in the State election tomorrow.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
"If someone is passionate about cleaning all the rubbish out of Narromine, they have my vote,'' Cr Ivan Truscott said.
Police presence is a real concern in Narromine with many residents and business owners sick of the after-hours crime being acted on hours after the incident occurs.
Police numbers and hours have been questioned by council and community members alike.
The candidates running for the state election tomorrow have a clear stance on policing in Narromine Shire.
Independent candidate Col Hamilton has said he would be pushing for more police in the shire.
"Criminals know when they're not here and take advange of no police in the town," he said.
"It's something I'd be pushing for. It's a problem everywhere and most locals are disgusted."
Country Labor candidate, Stephen Lawrence also believes there needs to be more police.
"Labor have promised an additional 480 police. I haven't been able to get the official numbers (of officers) in Narromine but I have heard anecdotally the numbers are down," he said.
"If I'm elected police numbers are a top priority. We are under-serviced out here."
Dubbo MP Troy Grant said there were more options than recruiting more police.
"We can change working hours and patrols rather than more police, we can work with the community," Mr Grant said.
"I've long advocated support for CCTV camera funding. I offered funding over 12 months ago and it wasn't taken up by the community. I'll back Narromine, always."
Christian Democratic Party's Peter Scherer said his party supported law and order and the safety of all citizens.
"Many towns are in this situation and need a 24-hour police station. Penalties and consequences for anti-social behaviour need to be such that real deterrents are in place and enforced by the judicial system," he said.
Some of the candidates believe addressing the drug problem may have a significant impact on the local crime rate.
"We need to address the root cause. The reason people take up drugs in the first place needs to be addressed," Mr Hamilton said.
Independent candidate Rod Pryor also wants to address the problem.
"We've got to fix the social issues before we fix the crime. We need to target the market people are purchasing," he said.
"Crystal meth is a serious problem and needs to be addressed yesterday. We need a much more holistic approach, more police and tackle the social issues.
"Let's lobby to get more police after dark."
