BY ISABEL EVERETT
A detective has been honored for her investigations in and around the Lake Macquarie area, as part of the NSW Police Force's 15th annual State Crime Command Excellence Awards.
Detective Senior Constable Natalie Burston was highly commended for her role in Strike Force Kurla – established to investigate suspicious bushfire activity in and around the Lake Macquarie Police District in late 2018 and early 2019.
Det Snr Cst Burston established a teenage boy had called in a number of fires within that period, and after a thorough assessment of a spate of fires, he was charged with bushfire offences.
She is being commended for her work on a challenging case which required diligent and tenacious investigative and leadership skills.
Assistant Commissioner Smith congratulated each award recipient for their
devotion to their work and the wider community.
“Each of these detectives has displayed incredible passion for policing and
protecting the people of New South Wales,” Assistant Commissioner Smith said.
“Their diligence, skill and strong commitment to their work have earned them
the respect of their peers who nominated them for these awards, and they should
be extremely proud of that.
“They are a credit to their commands and the NSW Police Force, and we
acknowledged them for their resolve and tenacity in investigating some of the
state’s most complex crimes.
Detective Senior Constable Natalie Burston
