News

Inaugural indoor cricket challenge

Mon, 26 May 2014 11:03:00

Teams from Mildura Police and Mallee District Aboriginal Services will face off in their inaugural indoor cricket challenge at Lifestyle Plus tomorrow.

Police and the local Koori community have been building closer ties with the introduction of a new group of Police Aboriginal Liaison Officers – known as PALOs – at the Mildura Police Station.
The five male and female PALOs volunteered for the roles as part of their existing duties and are called on to perform liaison with the local Aboriginal community alongside the Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer Jemmes Handy.
“The PALO role is not a separate role – it is something we do within our frontline policing jobs,” Sergeant O’Donnell said.
“But the PALO roles build understanding and relationships within the community that certainly help us to do our job – and they’re bringing better outcomes on a lot of other levels as well.”
The PALO roles also work in cooperation with staff at MDAS and next Tuesday’s social cricket game is part developing the five new PALOs.
Dallas Kirby from the MDAS Healthy for Life team said MDAS staff were looking forward to the cricket challenge.
“It will help people get to know some of our local police and get to know the people behind the uniform.  Our aim is for our community-members to build a relationship that is not just about police business,” Dallas said.