It was 20 years ago that NSW Police Commissioner Peter Ryan issued an official apology to members of the stolen generation, acknowledging the role that police played in enforcing past unjust laws.

The current Aboriginal Strategic Direction was renewed earlier this year, and provides a framework for positive engagement within Aboriginal communities throughout NSW. 

“We will continue our focus of community policing by consulting with Aboriginal people regarding offences of concern to them, and work in partnership to achieve outcomes that reduce crime and the fear of crime,” said Assistant Commissioner Peter Barrie, the Southern Region’s corporate sponsor for Aboriginal engagement.

As the Hume Police District’s Aboriginal engagement officer, I believe consultation is the key.

I could present to you all sorts of statistics regarding the indigenous population throughout the Hume Police District.

I could tell you that the rate of crime among the indigenous community in our district is relatively consistent with the population, and in fact has decreased during 2018.

I could tell you that all the information we have points to virtually non-existent levels of bias related crime in our area.

What I wouldn’t learn from these statistics is what is important to the people in our community.

It was anecdotally said to me recently that if bias-related crime is occurring, perhaps it’s just not being reported to the police.

And this is what we want to change.