Extra police will be out in force on the Hunter's and Central Coast's streets, with six new officers posted at Newcastle Police Station to perform foot patrols of the region.
The new officers are part of a high-visibility police unit and will be patrolling areas across Newcastle City, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens, Hunter Valley, Tuggerah Lakes and Brisbane Water.
The officers commenced their first foot patrols last week, targeting a range of offences including drug and alcohol related incidents.
"We still have too many assaults that are alcohol related, so they'll be working with licensing police in the local area as well," Northern Region Assistant Commissioner Max Mitchell said.
The Northern High-Visibility Police (HVP) Unit will also focus on entertainment hot spots throughout the region, including areas like Beaumont street and the Newcastle CBD.
"We have a lot of events now in the wider Newcastle and Central coast area so where we have large areas of crowds gathering, what we want is this unit rolled out with other police," AC Mitchell said.
"People wanna feel safe and secure and this is what this teams primary focus is about."
The officers will be specifically trained in intelligence gathering, so they can proactively identify conflicts ranging from local level issues to more serious incidents.
AC Mitchell says the high-visibility teams will be a reassuring presence, playing a key role in disrupting crime and anti-social behavior.
"High-visibility policing is a crucial element of regional policing – we want our communities to know we are there in numbers to protect and support them 24/7."
“The Northern HVP Unit will have the ability to be deployed wherever our demand and need is. They are highly-skilled and available to engage with the public – we want you to come up and talk to them, tell them what is happening in your neighborhood."
“By targeting crime with more boots on the ground and in a highly-visible manner, it’s hoped offenders will have second thoughts before breaking the law,” AC Mitchell said.
The Unit will be patrolling crime hotspots, roads, transport networks, local neighborhoods, and planned events.
