Wanaaring Dan wins major award

Senior Constable Dan Vituseck of Wanaaring on left with the other award winners at the 2026 NSW Police Offcier of the Year Awards in Sydney on Friday. Photo: contributed

Wanaaring Dan. Photo: Ian Cole

Senior Constable Daniel Vituseck of Wanaaring is this year’s NSW Regional Police Officer of the Year following awards announced at a gala dinner in Sydney’s CBD on Friday night.

Known locally as ‘Wanaaring Dan’, Senior Constable Vituseck has been recognised as exemplifying the dedication required to police one of New South Wales’ most remote communities.

Serving the isolated township of Wanaaring, nearly 200km from the nearest major services, he has repeatedly placed community needs above his own.

During major flooding in 2025, Senior Constable Vituseck remained in town for six weeks, helping ensure community safety and access to essential supplies.

In June 2026, he responded to a critically ill two-year-old girl, transporting her 200km to Bourke while performing lifesaving first aid and CPR during the journey. Medical specialists later credited his actions with saving her life. […]

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