Police will get a “please explain” from Sutherland Shire Council over the sudden closure of the Menai station.
The council unanimously voted on Monday night to seek discussions and make representations over the police decision not to renew the lease on the shopfront facility in Menai Marketplace.
The Police Minister, local area commander and state MPs should be involved in talks with councillors on the reasons for the closure and alternative policing arrangements, the council agreed.
Councillor Steve Simpson, who represents the Menai area and moved the urgency motion, said the community received “not one bit of information” about the permanent closure before it was reported in the Leader.
The community had only been told it was closed for renovations, he said.
”I am not saying we should say the police station should stay, but that consultation should take place with the local community,” he said.
“After the Leader reported it, I have been contacted by ex-police, school teachers, people from the Rural Fire service and others, asking why?”
Cr Simpson said people in the Menai area has always wanted a police station, and election candidates since the 1990s had campaigned for it.
“There are some 45,000 people in the area, and it has the largest proportion of young people under 21 [in Sutherland Shire],” he said.
Cr Simpson said the Police Dog Unit presence in the area was no comfort.
“They don’t even walk their dogs in the area,” he said.
Cr Simpson said the Menai area could be quickly isolated by accidents on the bridges.
“We need to know how many police will patrol the area,” he said.
Cr Greg McLean said he believed a wider briefing was needed on policing in the shire.
“We had the recent request for more police parking at Sutherland and when I pass Engadine station I see it locked up,” he said.
Miranda and Sutherland local area commands were recently merged.
Mayor Carmelo Pesce said he was told previously the strategy was about getting more police patrolling in cars.
Related stories:
