Media Release: Albury Police Stretched to Breaking Point

Member for Albury Justin Clancy MP has called on the NSW Government to urgently address police resourcing shortages in the Murray River Police District, warning local officers are under unsustainable pressure.

 

Mr Clancy has raised the issue in Parliament and made a formal representation to the Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism, highlighting the need for additional frontline officers to meet the growing demands of the Albury community.

 

‘As of November 2025, Albury Police have already responded to more than 21,700 calls for help, around 60 incidents every day,’ Mr Clancy said.

 

‘Despite this workload, Albury is often patrolled by just three police cars at a time. This isn’t due to a lack of dedication from our officers, they are doing an outstanding job under immense strain, but they simply don’t have enough support.’

 

‘The current first response agreement, which determines how many officers can be on shift, is outdated and no longer reflects the realities of policing in a fast-growing regional centre like Albury.’

 

‘The community deserves to feel safe and supported, and that starts with ensuring our police have the numbers they need on the ground,’ he said.

 

‘I’ve asked the Minister to review staffing levels and consider an increased allocation of probationary constables to Albury from upcoming academy classes.’

 

The Albury Branch of the Police Association of NSW has also been advocating for fairer resource distribution, noting that while Albury requested 10 new recruits from the December intake and 20 next year, the district was allocated just six, well short of what’s needed to meet demand.

 

‘Albury is one of the busiest commands in the Southern Region but is one of the most under-resourced,’ Mr Clancy said.

 

‘Other regional centres like Wagga Wagga have smaller workloads yet more car crews and access to specialist units such as the Region Enforcement Squad and Police Dog Unit. Albury deserves the same level of support.’

 

Mr Clancy said he would continue to advocate strongly for local police.

 

‘Our officers go above and beyond every day to keep our community safe. It’s time they got the backup they deserve.’