SIX NSW police employees from the central west and Orana regions have been named as finalists in this year’s Rotary Police Officer of the Year Awards.
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Ezekial Shaw from the Orana LAC and Kevin Read from the Lachlan LAC have both been named as finalists for the Employee of the Year award, while Sergeant Lisa Jones from the Castlereagh LAC is a finalist for the Field Operations award.
Ron and Sandra Hocking from the Lachlan LAC have are finalists for the Rotary Clubs of NSW Volunteer in Policing Award while Senior Constable Daniel Greef and Kevin Read also from the Lachlan LAC have been named as finalists for the IJ Community-based Policing award sworn and unswown respectively.
Overall the 23 finalists have been identified in eight separate categories according to their roles and expertise.
The category winners and overall Police Officer of the Year will be announced at a special dinner on Friday, November 4.
Read more about each of the finalists from the local area below as published by Police Media:
FINALIST: Employee of the year : Ezekial Shaw – Orana Local Area Command
Zeke Shaw became the Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer in Orana at a time when relationships between local indigenous communities and police were strained.
He quickly went about changing attitudes and fostering better understanding.
Described as a “true inspiration” by his commander, Zeke has been an integral part of the local fight against ICE use in the Wellington district through his involvement in PCYC Boxing and other diversion programs.
One of his initiatives, the award-winning “Gungie Origin” Program, has been successfully adopted in other indigenous communities around Australia.
FINALIST: Employee of the year: Kevin Read – Lachlan Local Area Command
As an Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer, Kevin Read, has a passion for community policing.
From the Murrin Bridge Mission near Lake Cargelligo in the west to Peak Hill in the north and Forbes in the south, Kevin regularly travels up to 4,000 kilometres a month to attend community meetings and events.
Through calm negotiation, Kevin has often brought about peaceful resolution to situations, avoiding the need for arrests and protracted “man hunts.”
He has been at the forefront of Aboriginal youth diversion initiatives such as “Backtrack” and is a prominent supporter of the highly successful iProwd indigenous recruitment program.
FINALIST: Field operations: Sergeant Lisa Jones - Castlereagh LAC
Sergeant Jones is the tireless leader and committed campaigner behind numerous Police and community initiatives aimed at strengthening, improving and changing lives in Castlereagh LAC townships.
As Crime Coordinator, Licensing Sergeant, Intelligence Supervisor and Crime Prevention Officer, the mother of four wears many hats in her quest to inspire hope in a community plagued by a history of violence, endemic alcohol abuse and the crippling social and welfare impact of long term drought.
Sergeant Jones is the driving force behind many of the Castlereagh LAC community safety initiatives including the NSW Government Grant of $155,000 to implement a new CCTV system in Walgett; she instigated the annual Emergency Services ‘Santa Run’ targeting improved relationships with children and families; she co-ordinated the official start of the White Ribbon Ultra-Marathon to combat domestic violence; and the success of her ‘Constable Charlie – Keeping Me Safe’ program for local children led to Castlereagh Command successfully securing its own penguin suit to service Western communities.
Sergeant Jones instigated a inter-agency group whereby Police, FACS, Department of Education, NSW Health and Non-Government Agencies case manage high risk families. The model for this program is being unveiled at Coonamble and is highly sought after by other Western areas.
She has organised a Police Expo that included the Police Air Wing, PORS and Dog Squad, also she initiated the Giyaali Birralii ‘Kids Back on Country’ Camp to foster strong connections between Police and local school children. Sgt Jones embraces every opportunity to serve her community.
FINALIST: IJ Community-based Policing award (Sworn): Senior Constable Daniel Greef – Lachlan Local Area Command
Senior Constable Greef’s work as Crime Prevention Officer has seen him achieve breakthroughs in areas such as youth welfare, cyber crime and teen bullying.
But it is his efforts towards preventing Domestic Violence that have caught the attention of the communities within the Lachlan Shire.
Senior Constable Greef is an active member of the Lachlan Shire Domestic Violence Committee and has helped to promote an anti-violence project called, “Little Towns, Big Voices.”
As part of that project, Senior Constable Greef has had a primary role in the production of a related DV educational film, now featured in regional film festivals and possibly destined for screening in Australian schools and within communities across New Zealand and Asia.
FINALIST: IJ Community-based Policing Award (Unsworn): Kevin Read – Lachlan Local Area Command
As an Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer, Kevin Read, has a passion for community policing.
From the Murrin Bridge Mission near Lake Cargelligo in the west to Peak Hill in the north and Forbes in the south, Kevin regularly travels up to 4,000 kilometres a month to attend community meetings and events.
Through calm negotiation, Kevin has often brought about peaceful resolution to situations, avoiding the need for arrests and protracted “man hunts.”
He has been at the forefront of Aboriginal youth diversion initiatives such as “Backtrack” and is a prominent supporter of the highly successful iProwd indigenous recruitment program.
FINALIST: Rotary Clubs of NSW Volunteer in Policing: Ron and Sandra Hocking – Lachlan Local Area Command
The friendly smiles and demeanour of this husband and wife team are said to be a big part of the fabric of the Forbes policing community.
Industrious workers, they quietly set about ensuring records are maintained and archived; answering phones and attending to counter enquiries without any fuss.
When the community calls for help, the Hockings respond. During the recent floods at Parkes and Forbes, the couple assisted at the Evacuation centre registering and comforting displaced residents.
Ron and Sandra regularly attend policing functions to help and offer support. Their Commander says they “epitomise the very thing that Volunteers In Policing is all about.”