At a community campaign launch outside the Cowra Police Station on Tuesday morning, Mr Sheraton said NSW Police have their “eyes closed” to the issue regarding a lack of police numbers in Cowra.

Mr Sheraton said the Cowra branch of the Police Association of NSW will meet again to consider “all options” if there’s no solution by next Monday.

The branch is calling for four additional constables and one sergeant to complement the 13 police officers based in town at the moment.

“The community of Cowra has missed out. It’s about time they got what they deserve and that’s some more police officers. At the moment the police are stretched because they don’t have enough staff,” Mr Sheraton said.

“It’s been 15 years since they’ve had an increase and it’s not good enough.”

A submission made by the Cowra branch calling for more staff attached to Cowra was presented to NSW Police hierarchy in March.

Mr Sheraton said there has been contact and ongoing negotiations however the Cowra branch is looking at options at “taking action regarding the inaction”.

“We’re asking NSW Police to fix the problem,” he said.

“We’ve agreed to have further talks on this next week and if there’s no solution by next Monday the branch here at Cowra will meet again and will consider all options in regards to what they do.”

Senior Constable Andrew Buchtmann, chair of the Cowra branch of the Police Association of NSW, said the Cowra station is often shut during the day because only two staff are rostored to work. 

He said officers at Cowra are “stressed” and “frustrated”.

“People ring up complaining about the lack of response of police. We’re trying to do the best we can with the resources we have,” he said.

“We are trying to meet the community’s needs, we’re trying to provide a safe community and we’re trying to meet the organisational needs. We can’t do that with two people.”

Mr Buchtmann said more staff would give police the ability to be more proactive rather than just “react to jobs” which is the case now. 

Extra numbers would also allow for the station to be open during the day for members of the public to report crime and get advice, and provide back-up for any police on the road at dangerous jobs.

“At the moment they don’t have that,” Mr Sheraton said.

Woodstock senior constable Allan Rider said Cowra’s staffing problem impacts the safety of surrounding towns like Woodstock, Canowindra, Gooloogong and Wyangala.

He said he spends 98 per cent of his time in Cowra to make the roster work.

The Cowra branch will meet again next week if there’s no solution to the problem regarding lack of police numbers in town.