Alarming figures released today reveal that one hundred and forty nine police officers resigned and left the force between December 1 last year and January 31.
Even more alarming, a breakdown of those figures reveal the loss of senior people who are the backbone of the police culture - the very people who weld together the rank and file to create a cohesive force.
Resignations came from ten inspectors, two senior sergeants and twenty-six sergeants.
It seems that the New South Wales police force is fast becoming a collective of newly graduated constables with a sad lack of experienced, middle management leaders to guide them to proficiency.
So far, nobody seems to have an answer as to why this is happening. The New South Wales police force is the biggest police service in Australia - and the best paid !
Policing used to be a life career choice, but then the format was entirely different from today. Back then each suburb had a police residence that served as the local police station. The resident officer knew his locals - and he kept the youth of his district from becoming criminals by stopping the progress from yaa-hooing to petty theft by strict law enforcement.
Those days are long gone. Today the cops no longer walk the beat. Policing is done from patrol cars and for many police service has become remote - and a police career is losing allure for those with a sense of duty.
Maybe now is the time for intense interviews with all police handing in their resignations to determine why we are experiencing this loss. If we can not provide substance to policing this attrition will continue. Now is the time to find out what police think and what they see as the down side of a police career. Listen and learn would be good advice to the police and political bureaucracy !
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