NSW Police are formulating their next Multicultural Policing Strategy for 2020-2024 as the number of overseas migrants continues to rise across Wagga and the wider state.
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The Department of Home Affairs estimates about 5880 off shore humanitarian entrants will be settled across NSW for 2019-2020, with 250 of those in Wagga and 120 in Albury.
A number of police districts across the state, including the Riverina, have started consultations with communities, services and police to determine the key components needed for a successful plan.
A NSW Police Force spokesperson said the plan was an essential aspect of the service.
"It represents our deep commitment to making sure that policing services reach the multicultural communities in the same way that they are accessible to the mainstream communities of NSW," they said.
"We are also particularly interested in making our refugee communities feel welcome and comfortable in approaching police should they ever require police assistance."
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As part of consultations, NSW Police are conducting face to face focus groups with multicultural communities and police units, hosting forums and releasing an online survey for the general community.
Wagga has a large and growing multicultural presence, which the spokesperson said was a driving force behind the need for a targeted plan.
"Policing in this diverse context requires us, as an agency, to build a force that is flexible, responsive, and has the capabilities to confidently respond in instances where culture, language or religion are relevant," they said.
"We want to make sure that any recent and new arrivals to Wagga Wagga have a positive interaction with their local Police, and that Wagga Wagga Police are equipped and supported to meet the needs of their diverse communities, be they refugees or more longer term migrants."