of SUPPoRT - NSW Police Force

of SUPPORT
NSW and Queensland
police work side by side
Traci Palladino, Police Monthly; Photos: Rob Stewart, Multimedia Unit
During January the Queensland Police Service was stretched
to breaking point as they coped with an emergency that
engulfed most of the state followed closely by a category 5
cyclone. NSW police were volunteering before the call for
help came in.
4 police monthly / FEBRUARY 2011

OPPOSITE PAGE: Queensland Police
Sgt Jose Sarmiento with NSW Police
Force Cst Matt Stokes; THIS PAGE:
1 A NSWPF contingent arrives in a
Hercules aircraft
2 Vehicles were swept up in wild flood
waters. Photo: The Chronicle / APN
3 Some of our brave officers
4 Each contingent was transported
by the Australian Defence Force
5 Qld Commissioner Bob Atkinson
with Acting Commissioner Catherine
Burn APM, who visited the officers
on the frontline and praised their
efforts
1
1
2 3 4
As the Brisbane River threatened to
break its banks, Queensland Police
Commissioner Bob Atkinson requested
support from across the border. Within
days 55 officers, including a command
team of five, flew in courtesy of the Royal
Australian Air Force.
They were relieved the following week by
50 replacement officers, all volunteers. A
third contingent flew in during week three
of the joint police operation.
While the city of Brisbane was still in
shock, our first contingent was sworn in
as special constables and started work
immediately – each partnered with a
Queensland officer.
Queensland’s A/Insp Karen Ballantyne
said the work of the NSW Police on the
ground exceeded all expectations. “Our
crews really worked well together – it’s
like they had been permanent partners for
weeks,” she said. “The support they gave
us was overwhelming.”
NSW Commander of Operation
Safeguard, the NSWPF response to the
Queensland flood, Supt Kyle Stewart and
his command team stayed for the entire
operation, while the three groups of 50
police volunteers were rotated through.
“A total of 155 officers were deployed for
this operation,” he said. “Our job was to
maintain a highly visible police presence
throughout the Metropolitan North Region,
a vast component of which was impacted
by the flood in some way.
“Our officers were involved in anti-looting
patrols and providing general support to
Queensland’s first response crews, which
meant regular GD work on most shifts.”
Supt Stewart, who normally commands
Wollongong LAC, said there were large
parts of Queensland’s Metropolitan North
Region that suffered massive devastation
as a result of the flooding of the Brisbane
River.
“Entire suburbs were all but wiped
out by the flooding. If you can imagine
that occurring in one of our metropolitan
regions you’ll have an idea of the
devastation that’s occurred up here.”
Facebook Feedback
Lucy B Smith glad to hear our
officers back safe and sound..great
job! I gotta hand it to you officers...
(raise my glass...)
Jenny Higgins Hope they are well
and i know they did the best they
could. Congrats
Mary McArthur As a Queenslander
I thankyou for a job well done... :)
Jeaneeta Jackson Always a job well
done. Thank you to all our Police
Force you do an Awesome job and
we should all be thankful for the
freedom & level of safety we have in
Australia thanks to our tireless Force!
Lesle Dragomirovic Good on them
all. One of the toughest jobs in our
country. Can only imagine what
some of them have seen and had
to go through... Good on each and
everyone of you
Shane Fry Great job to all.
5
Supt Stewart said most of our officers
found we have more in common with
Queensland police than we do in difference,
which made our transition into the policing
role in Queensland almost seamless.
“Flash flooding was still occurring in the
first week of our deployment and several
officers had to help people out their cars
in rapidly rising water.” Supt Stewart said.
“In the first deployment a couple of officers
Irene Riley Dyer Great work,and
welcome home to you all :)
Ian Harvey Bravo Zulu to those who
left their families to help because
their heart was in the right place
and they felt the need to help. You
have done youself and the people of
NSW proud
Evelyn Pride welcome back good job
guys and thank you all for helping
some of my family
FEBRUARY 2011 / police monthly 5

6
7
6 Cst Ben Seaburyne takes in the devastation
7 Sgt Sarmiento and Cst Stokes survey some
of the damage 8 NSW Insp Bernie Ryan, Qld
flood victim Steve Crutchley and NSW Snr Sgt Bob
Minns 9 Plenty of clean up and repair work
was needed in the worst struck areas 10 Acting
Commissioner Catherine Burn APM with NSW and
Qld police commanders 11 FROM LEFT: Sgt Bob
Minns (Wollongong), Cst Daniel Breen (Fairfield),
Sgt Pat Sharkey (Parramatta), President of the
Queensland Police Association Ian Leavers, Snr
Cst Emma Davison (Hurstville), Cst Joel Latimer
(Shoalhaven), Snr Cst Michael Laker (Campsie)
and Qld Snr Cst Richard Jackway 12 Quay Street
East was just one of many Queensland streets that
were completely inundated with floodwater. Photo:
Max Fleet/NewsMail 13 At Goodna, NSW Snr Cst
Carl Atkins, Qld Cst Luke Hanlon, NSW Cst Ursula
Dam and Qld Cst Emma Nasmythnew
12
13
had to abandon their police vehicle in
flood waters, when it stalled as they were
attempting to reach another motorist in
trouble.”
Supt Stewart said he was particularly
proud of the personal response from these
officers, many of whom pitched in while off
duty.
“The homes of quite a few Queensland
officers suffered damage and when not
on duty, many of our police could be
found cleaning up with them. By the
time the waters receded, it was hot,
sticky and bloody smelly work. I have no
doubt that some great friendships were
formed – and those officers can hold
their heads high,” he said. “Apparently
our Queensland counterparts insisted on
making conversation about State of Origin
football!”
Officers from all three contingents
raised money among themselves to help
Queensland officers who were affected by
the flood. Between them, they personally
raised $7800, which was donated to
Queensland Police Association for
distribution. This was topped by the NSW
Police Association Appeal, which reached
$10,000.
Supt Stewart said he was extremely
6 police monthly / FEBRUARY 2011

8 9
captions
10
impressed with the calibre of the
Queensland officers.
“In my experience police are ‘can do’
folk, and stepping across the border
hasn’t changed my mind about that. The
Queensland Police Service is a professional
outfit – their officers were exceptionally
focussed on helping the community
recover. It has been great to be able to help
them with this task.”
Snr Cst Carl Atkins from Hawkesbury
LAC was sent up with the first contingent
and was posted to Goodna alongside Qld
Cst Luke Hanlon.
“It was pretty intense,” he said. “The
flood had already gone through and we
were on patrol for looting. The mess was
awful. There were huge piles of garbage
everywhere, which were mostly household
items being thrown out.
“I didn’t see any looting. Many people
were picking up whitegoods and other big
items that had already been thrown out;
we just made sure they had permission.
Basically we let the community know we
were there.
“Policing in Queensland is very similar
to NSW. They have different systems, but
they’re the same people as us. It was just
like taking a shift in any police station in
NSW.”
Another disaster looming
While the flood clean up continued and
as the last of the NSW contingent came
home on Sunday 6 February, hundreds of
Queensland police were seconded to North
Queensland to assist those impacted by
tropical cyclone Yasi.
DCOP visit troops interstate
Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn
who was Acting Commissioner at the time,
visited the NSW troops in Queensland
to thank them for their efforts. She
said Queensland Police Commissioner
Atkinson was totally appreciative of every
NSW officer. “It was a very proud moment
for me,” she said.
Acting Commissioner said there was
no shortage of NSW police who wanted to
volunteer.
Much of the action was reported on YouTube
11
“I wasn’t surprised by their enthusiasm;
our police wanted to help right from the
beginning. They worked extremely hard
and did us proud. We’re able to show once
again that the NSWPF is more than willing
to help a community recover from disaster.”
A cameraman from Public Affairs Branch filmed much of the action as it happened,
for reporting on our YouTube channel. Rob Stewart from our Multimedia Unit posted
interviews with senior police, including Acting Commissioner Catherine Burn;
vision of the officers arriving and being inducted as special constables; and footage
of them on patrol and volunteering for clean up duty. Find the NSW Police Force
Channel by clicking the YouTube button at the bottom of the NSW Police Website.
FEBRUARY 2011 / police monthly 7