New HQ for water police

by NSW Police Media Unit on 21 Mar 2004 About 70 NSW Water Police staff were today moved to a new $12 million base on the inner western shores of Sydney Harbour.

NSW Police Minister John Watkins, opening the new headquarters at Camerons Cove, Balmain, said the Marine Area Command (MAC) base included a marina for berthing up to nine vessels, a decompression chamber, refuelling depot, operations centre and diver equipment room and standard police facilities.

Mr Watkins said the MAC, with up to 100 officers and divers across the state, played a crucial role in policing the harbour, waterways and the NSW coast.

'The new location was carefully chosen to ensure the Water Police have fast access to all areas of the harbour and waterways,' he said.

He said the MAC was increasingly involved in counter-terrorism exercises, with a special Marine Operations Support Team (MOST) set up last year.

'MOST revs up the police response on the water, protecting the public and VIP vessels, managing crowds and retrieving protesters,' he said.

Apart from the water police, the MAC also includes the State Marine Intelligence Group, Marine Investigative Group, Fleet Operations, Diving Unit and Licensing, Education and Training Unit.

The water police had been operating from a demountable site at Pyrmont for the past 17 years.

The facility will be open to the public from 10am (AEDT) to 2pm tomorrow