Superintendent Darren Brand on new police recruits

Superintendent Darren Brand on new police recruits, December 2025.

Transcript

00:00And tell us an exciting day today, a large number of recruits here on the South Coast.

00:05What a great day for the South Coast Police District.

00:07Seven new bright Bega probationary constables joining the South Coast PD,

00:15which is the greatest number we've had in about three years or longer.

00:19So, yeah, a really good day.

00:21They've all come through the Be A Cop In Your Home Town program, is that correct?

00:24Yeah, that's right, all seven.

00:26So six for Nowra and one for Bega.

00:28Just a really, really positive initiative from the government

00:33to allow people who live and work in the community

00:38to be able to go back and contribute to the community

00:41that they live and work in as a police officer.

00:44It's a great opportunity for people who thought maybe a career in the police

00:48had passed them by to revisit and join the police.

00:55So, obviously, great success with that program.

00:58And what are the actual details of the program?

01:00So if you're somebody who lives in a Be A Cop In Your Home Town area,

01:05you've got the opportunity.

01:07You go through the same selection process as all police do,

01:09and you can apply to be able to come back and be a police officer

01:14in your local community if there's a vacancy there.

01:17So, as I said before, it's a great opportunity if you can't leave your local community for whatever reason,

01:25family, kids, schooling, you can still have a career in the New South Wales Police

01:30and join the team to help keep the community safe.

01:33Are there benefits to someone working in the town where they've grown up?

01:38Yeah, there is.

01:39Obviously, the familiarity with the surroundings and that connection to community stronger,

01:44which is so important when you're a police officer.

01:47We're here to serve the community and having new people join the team

01:52who are already committed to the town they live in is super important

01:56and something that I think will resonate with the community.

01:59We're here to serve the community and we're here to serve the community and we're here to serve the community.