A community safety officer could provide "tangible benefits " to the community when it comes to reducing crime, says a Dubbo councillor.
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Councillor Josh Black is calling for the position to be included in the Dubbo Regional Council budget.
The draft budget and operational plan is about to go on public exhibition for feedback from the community. That feedback will shape how the council spends its money in the coming financial year.
Cr Black said councils that wanted to engage youth and reduce crime in their communities were most successful if they had a community safety office at council.
"Thus is something that lots of councils do. Lots do it well and I'm sure the Dubbo Regional Council can do it well," he said.
Campbelltown's community safety officer works in collaboration with NSW Police, the NSW Attorney Generals Department, local not-for-profit groups and community organisations to "develop and deliver programs and initiatives that focus on crime prevention and promoting community safety".
The community safety officer is guided by the council's crime prevention plan, which has seven focus areas: preventing break and enters to homes, crime prevention through environmental design services, safety audits, CCTV implementation, school community safety education, park improvements and the facilitation of the community safety committee.
Dubbo council is in the process of developing a community safety and crime prevention plan.
"There is a noticeable feeling within our community for council to be seen 'doing something' to address actual and perceived community safety and law and order issues in our local government area," council's director of community, culture and places Craig Arms said previously.
"The reality is, Dubbo Regional Council, although being a significant community leader, has a limited role and capacity to influence the broad and complex area of social cohesion."
He said the main role the council could play in community safety and crime prevention was "to facilitate the coming together of the numerous and diverse government and non-government service providers and advocacy groups" to share information and coordinate efforts.
Cr Black initially pushed for the council to move $100,000 outlined in the budget for updating signs across the local government area toward the new council position. However it was decided the way it would be funded would be investigated by the council staff.
"[A community safety officer] would help to improve the lives of people living in our LGA. Updating signs at $100,000 a year over the next four years when we know there's $700,000 or $800,000 that's needed is not going to improve anyone's life," he said.
Cr Black said the position would have a "real tangible benefit to the community".
Councillor Pam Wells said she fully supported the idea as it aligned with all of the work the council had been doing to improve community safety.
A decision about establishing a community safety officer position will be made after the budget goes on public exhibition.