New Acting Commander takes the helm

Acting Commander Brett Smith. Photo TWH

A new Acting Commander is at the helm of Central North Police District.

Superintendent Brett Smith comes to the job of Acting Commander of the Central North Police District, with 31 years’ experience in the police force.

He will be acting in the role until the newly appointed permanent Commander of the Central North Police District, Superintendent Tim Chinn arrives to take up the job on a permanent basis.

The Western Herald understands that Supt Chinn, who is well known in the Bourke community, has been delayed in taking up the appointment due to the present COVID-19 restrictions. Supt Brett Smith is likely to be acting in the role for a month.

Supt Smith has spent most of that time as an investigative detective, working on some of the state’s most serious crimes, including homicides and drug trafficking.

But his other passion is working with young people and tackling juvenile crime.

He has been based in Dubbo as Operations Manager overseeing crime management in the western region but says he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to spend time in Bourke and other communities in the Central North Police District.

“My main role in Dubbo covers about 75 per cent of NSW and prior to that I have been Acting Commander in Mudgee, Orange and Parkes,” he said.

“I started out in Blacktown police station and was identified early as an investigator and graduated through the field.

“I was appointed as Detective Senior Constable at Cowra in 1997 and have performed criminal investigation duties ever since.

“It was my ability to help victims of crime and investigate to the ‘nth degree’ and bring the evidence before the court that identified me for that role,” Supt Smith said.

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