Cowra will receive four probationary constables, one currently working in Cowra, two from the newly attested class which graduated from Goulburn just laster Friday and one later in December.

Branch representative, Senior Constable Andrew Buchtmann, said it was a shame an outcome to negotiations took so long, but the branch was satisfied with the outcome.

“This was originally put to the organisation back in March and we are now leading into September,” he said.

“It was tough but at the end of the day the additional police here in Cowra will allow us to police more proactively, to run operations, have a minimum of three staff rostered on and will allow us to leave the station open more during the day, having an officer there to take inquires.

“Without the media’s assistance and exposure I don’t think we would have been here today,” he said at Monday announcement.

Senior Constable Buchtmann said while the branch’s vote was tight it ultimately ended in a majority yes vote to accept the offer.

He said what got the deal over the line was a written guarantee from the Commissioner that the probationary constables would remain in Cowra.

“The initial offer was only four probationary constables and we didn’t have written commitment that those four would remain here at Cowra,” he said.

“Our concern was that we would put in the effort to train those officers and they may be utilized somewhere else.

“We’ve now received, in writing, a commitment that those four officers would remain here and once the region receives additional numbers, those officers would be allocated here at Cowra.

“As part of the new offer Chiefly Command has offered to assist us in training the new probationers due next week, so we will have an experienced officer from Blayney who will take on one of those probationers and will work out of Cowra.

“If any person, while those probationary constables were training for their first twelve months, was to move or leave the organisation that person would be replaced and the position advertised and not one of the probationers taking on that role,” he said.

Senior Constable Buchtmann said the additional resources would make an immense difference to the policing in the region.

“This will allow us to roster officers in the outstations at Woodstock, Gooloogong and Canowindra. Out in their local communities,” he said.

“They can now get back to engaging with members of their communities, gathering intelligence that allows us to police those communities more effectively.

“It will let us police the community more proactively and give us better coverage here in Cowra.

“The community deserves it, our crime rate showed that we were in the top group for both property crime and violent offences, now ideally we would be looking at reducing those statistics in the future,” he said.