Even with 169 graduate police officers attesting Friday, June 21, and four of those headed to the South Coast, Moruya police station remains largely unmanned during business hours.
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The issue remained one of real concern for the newly formed Neighbourhood Watch Moruya.
The group met with Bega MP Michael Holland and NSW Police Chief Inspector John Sheehan at a community meeting attended by about 100 concerned community members in April.
Neighbourhood Watch representatives again met with Dr Holland Monday, June 24, to hand over a petition of more than 1400 signatures calling for increased funding to staff the police station during business hours.
Organiser Nanette Morton said it was all about reporting, and ensuring elderly and vulnerable community members in particular had access to police personnel to report incidents when they occurred.
She believed as a result of a sporadically manned police station, crime in Moruya was under-reported.
"You can't get in... there are no set opening hours," she said.
"I've been a resident here for 35 years I've always been able to get in - we had wonderful service under Inspector Flood, we didn't have this issue.
"It's really been the last four years, where people knock on the door they push on the buzzer and they walk away.
"So we are saying this issue makes crime under-reported."
In response to the NSW Police statement "all police vehicles serve as mobile police stations and can respond based on demand", Nanette believed this was not adequate for the elderly and vulnerable.
"I'm sorry but are you going to get an elderly person standing talking into the door of a police car... they are used to walking into a station," she said.
Also present at the handover was elderly resident Marie Ridden.
Marie said only recently she suspected she had disturbed an intruder when she turned on the lights of her house one evening after hearing someone outside.
She said she had not reported the incident.
The last time Marie did try to hand in a wallet she had found the doors of the police station closed.
Nanette acknowledged the approach to crime, particularly youth crime, needed to be a multi-faceted response.
She said Neighbourhood Watch, as a community group, could spearhead some of this response.
"It's a matter of the break-ins... a lot of youths not going to school," she said
"PCYC is a wonderful organisation, it's headed by Senior Constable Curry but he needs more resources.
"We want them to have a permanent building and do a fundraiser through Neighbourhood Watch and hopefully clubs like Lions get together and see what we can do."
Dr Holland said he would take the petition to the NSW Parliament.
"My role as your local representative is to make your voice heard in NSW parliament, there is over 1000 signatures here," he said.
"On the issue of the local Moruya police station, there is more to it than just the police station."
Dr Holland said the "causes" of the need for the police station to be open must be considered.
He said he would endeavour to arrange a meeting between NSW Minister for Police Yasmin Catley and representatives from Neighbourhood Watch Moruya.
