The New South Wales Police Force is a law enforcement agency of the state of New South Wales, Australia, established in 1862. With more than 18,000 police, it is the largest police organisation in Australia, policing an area of 801,600 square kilometres with a population of more than 8.2 million people.
As of 2020, it had 21,455 employees (17,348 police and 4,107 support staff), with 432 police stations, 3,300 vehicles, 52 boats, 9 aircraft and a budget of AUD4.8 billion. It is organised into police area commands (PACs) in metropolitan areas, police districts (PDs) in rural areas and specialist commands.
NSW Police perform law enforcement in all areas of the state. Local government authorities and other agencies have very limited law enforcement responsibilities. The capacity of magistrates and justices to appoint constables was removed and the Commissioner of the NSW Police now has sole control of the appointment of constables in the state.
Mission statement and aims
The Police Act 1990 states the mission of the NSW Police is "to work with the community to reduce violence, crime and fear".
NSW Police aim to protect the community by
Preventing, detecting and investigating crime
Monitoring and promoting road safety
Maintaining social order
Performing and coordinating search and rescue operations
Insignia, motto and symbols
Until 1972, NSW Police wore very plain insignia containing just the words "Police" and "New South Wales" or "N.S.W.", a crown and sometimes a state badge. It now uses a far more elaborate and colourful insignia containing a Latin motto.
Its current insignia features a diminutive state badge above a soaring wedge-tailed eagle carrying a scroll with the word Nemesis, the Greek goddess of chastisement and vengeance, which is meant to signify retribution and justice, within a ring containing the words "New South Wales Police Force", surrounded by a wreath, all above a ribbon containing the motto and all surmounted by the St Edward's Crown, the crown of the King as the NSW head of state. This insignia was first used, unofficially, in 1959 at a South Pacific Police Commissioners' Conference in the table place names of each of the attending commissioners and was designed for this purpose by then Detective Sergeant Norm Merchant. The insignia was adopted in 1959 as the official insignia but was not used on uniforms or widely until 1972. Its current badges, including those worn on uniform shoulders, contain the insignia in a shield shape edged in yellow with “N.S.W. Police”, also in yellow, at the top.
Its current motto is in Latin, Culpam poena premit comes ("Punishment follows closely upon the heels of crime").
Banner, flag and pennants
On 29 September 2006, the Governor of New South Wales, Marie Bashir, presented a banner to NSW Police at a ceremony held adjacent to the NSW Police roll of honour at The Domain. Later that day, the banner led a NSW Police marching contingent at the dedication of the National Police Memorial in Canberra.
NSW Police have an official flag, with the Nemesis logo on a bicolour of light blue over white. In ceremonies, Mounted Police sometimes carry swallow-tailed blue and white pennants on lances. The Commissioner and the VIP cyclists sometimes use swallow-tailed blue and white pennants with a Nemesis logo on their transportation.
History
The NSW Police were established in 1862 under the Police Regulation Act 1862 which unified all existing police units in the colony under an Inspector General of Police.
1788 – Early forms of law enforcement
Law enforcement has existed in various forms since the foundation of the colony of New South Wales at Sydney in 1788. In order to protect the infant town against thieves and petty criminals after dark, Governor Arthur Phillip authorised the formation of a nightwatch in August 1789, consisting of eight of the best-behaved convicts. After his appointment as the new governor of New South Wales, Governor Lachlan Macquarie restructured the various police in January 1811, setting up a basic system of ranks and control and recruiting free men instead of convicts. Police units were under the rule of the District Magistrates.