THE NSW Police Baton Relay passed through Batemans Bay on Saturday as part of its six-month journey across the state to celebrate 100 years of women in policing.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
NSW’s highest ranking female officer, Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn, visited Batemans Bay for the event.
The custom-made baton was crossed over the Clyde River from Korners Park to the Town Wharf by police boat.
Meanwhile, about 20 local officers jogged their way from Korners Park and along the Batemans Bay Bridge to pass meet the baton at Town Wharf.
The relay participants continued to job along the foreshore, passing the baton between them.
Deputy Commissioner Burn and Far South Coast Police Commander Peter O’Brien rallied the relayers before they embarked on their journey.
Supt O’Brien said 100 years was a great achievement.
He said out of the 500 applications received from women in 1915, just two were successful.
He said the myth that women could not perform as well as men in the role needed to be debunked.
“There is nothing women can’t do in the NSW Police Force,” he said.
Deputy Commissioner Burn said women police officers owed a lot to the two women who joined in 2015, Lillian Armfield and Maude Rhodes.
“They paved the way for us, as did other women who followed them,” she said.
“It would have been a different job then to what it is now. They really were brave and courageous, and they’re clearly good qualities for policing.”
Deputy Commissioner Burn said today’s women in policing demonstrated the same qualities.
She said women were well-suited to the role due to their passion to make a difference, being great communicators, and for their leadership and problem solving skills.
“The women today from Batemans Bay, and their male colleagues running as well in support, should be very proud of what they have achieved,” she said.
Upon completion of the relay celebrations continued in foreshore park with a community fair, which included a range of stalls from emergency services, police vehicles on display, a free sausage sizzle and a celebratory cake.
Thirty-four per cent of NSW Police now comprises women, 28 per cent of whom are sworn officers.
The NSW Police Baton Relay will travel through the state's 76 local area police commands, before ending its journey at the Sydney Opera House in September.
