NSW Police Regional Field Operations Deputy Commissioner Mick Willing says preventing movement to regional areas from Sydney, and between regional areas, is a key focus of the operation Stay at Home.
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The operation will launch from midnight Sunday night in a significant boost to public health order enforcement efforts across the state.
The operation will utilise resources from all Police Districts and Police Area Commands under Metropolitan and Regional Field Operations alongside officers attached to Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, Police Transport Command, Dog and Mounted Unit, and a number of other specialist commands as required.
Significantly, 1400 officers attached to Traffic and Highway Patrol Command will be dedicated to both static and mobile COVID-19 compliance operations on the state's roads.
A further 500 Australian Defence Force troops, in addition to the 300 already deployed, will assist with compliance checks and patrols.
There will be nowhere to hide if you are doing the wrong thing.
- NSW Police Regional Field Operations Deputy Commissioner Mick Willing
Deputy Commissioner Willing said there will be more roadblocks on main arterial roads and backroads and these operations will continue to expand throughout this week.
"There will be nowhere to hide if you are doing the wrong thing. If you travel anywhere beyond your LGA at the moment, you are putting everyone else in NSW at considerable risk," he said.
"From the start, this has been about reducing movement across the state and protecting the health and safety of everyone, and this operation significantly strengthens those efforts."
Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott said the NSW Government was supporting the Commissioner's call for assistance in the most practical way.
"The Commissioner asked for tighter Public Health Orders and the government agreed, the Commissioner asked for higher fines and the Government agreed, and the Commissioner asked for more ADF personnel and we have an additional 500 highly-trained ADF personnel arriving to assist," Mr Elliott said.
"We've had to tighten the current public health orders because of the minority who exploited them. Enough is enough. If you do it, you will get fined.
"The only way out of this COVID-19 crisis is if we support each other and support the NSW Police-led compliance operation."
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Nick McGrath
Editor, Central Western Daily
Editor, Central Western Daily
