POLICE across the Western Region will undergo the same counter terrorism training as their Sydney-based colleagues, as NSW Police steps up the fight against terror.
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Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione, in Bathurst yesterday to present the Chifley Local Area Command awards, stressed terrorism was not a metro centric issue and that every police officer would be trained to deal with any potential threat.
During the award ceremony, Commissioner Scipione heard how two officers, attached to Portland station, had been called to an incident where they had to secure a number of firearms from a group of males shooting illegally at a property.
Due to the remote location of the incident the officers, who had no radio contact, were unable to conduct background checks at the scene.
But a police check carried out later revealed one of the group had a significant criminal history and the counter terrorism group was contacted. A short time later the offender left Australia to fight for ISIS.
Commissioner Scipione said the incident was a reminder of the daily threat that existed for all serving officers.
"Those two officers intervened on a group of illegal shooters, and we all know where that ended up," he said.
"It's a wake-up call to everyone. These things happen in every community, it's not a metro-centric issue."
Commissioner Scipione said the government had invested an enormous amount of money improving security, as well as increasing the level of training police officers have.
"Every officer across the state will undergo active armed offensive training which better enables them to deal with a shooting scenario," he said.
"We are preparing the force for the new emerging threat, terrorism, which changes daily, make sure they are trained effectively."
Western Region commander, Acting Assistant Commissioner Mark Walton, said all officers would undergo three days of counter-terrorism training.
"Over the next 18 months every officer will do three full days of active scenario based training with simulated weapons, where officers engage a moving threat," he said.
"The training is more about engaging a mobile threat rather then relying on a contained situation.
"It gets officers to another level and then we will continue on from that level. It's quite a significant investment."
Assistant Commissioner Walton said training sites across the state were already established in metropolitan areas, as well as Goulburn.
There will also be three non metro sites in operation soon.
