General News
25 February, 2023
New chief joins Horsham ranks
Sharon McCrory, Horsham's first female police superintendent, has a beat of 40,000 square kilometres. And one of the first things on her to do list is to get to know her new patch. "I'll do everything I can to engage with the community and help the...
Sharon McCrory, Horsham's first female police superintendent, has a beat of 40,000 square kilometres.
And one of the first things on her to do list is to get to know her new patch.
"I'll do everything I can to engage with the community and help the local community of Horsham and beyond to be a safe place to live," she said.
She was born in Adelaide and travelled around with her family as a young child, beore settling in Melbourne.
Her first police job was back in the 1980s at Collingwood police station as a junior constable.
Supt McCrory said her journey had been 38 years in the making.
"I initially joined Victoria Police in 1985 and spent all my policing career in Melbourne in various uniform positions," she said.
"I did some specialist work with intelligence and some surveillance work and prosecutions.
"Most recently, I was the local area commander for Stonnington. My elevation to superintendent brought me here.
"It was certainly an opportunity and one that I'm very happy has come to fruition. I'm really pleased to be here."
Supt McCrory said she had visited Horsham a few times.
"A few years ago, I volunteered with the Law Enforcement Torch Run, an organisation that collaborates with Special Olympics to generate money and awareness of what Special Olympics does.
"We undertook a western region awareness tour, stayed here overnight and participated in some activities with some local kids or athletes with intellectual disabilities."
Now she's looking forward to making her home in Horsham.
"I have a fantastic team and the neighbourhood seems very open and accepting," she said.
"I've moved now with my partner. He's also a police member but he's transitioning to retirement.
"I believe the residents of Horsham are in excellent hands and I'm confident that the support services offered here and all the community leaders and other partners in emergency services are working incredibly hard and effectively behind the scenes to ensure the community is safe.
Supt McCrory currently splits her time between the police stations in Horsham and Ararat.
"I'll, hopefully, in the next few weeks get to meet as many people as I can and then establish that relationship and really work in partnership with them on community issues and what might be emerging – community concerns about what's hurt them in the past," she said.
"I've seen that our regional road system is causing some harm here with fatalities and road trauma.
"I'd like to see us working together to make sure that not only our residents are safe when they're driving, but so too those people that are transiting through."
Supt McCrory said she was keen to tap the pulse of local residents, and to hear what they wanted from police.
"I want the community to feel free to drop me a line or come in and say hello," she said.
"I'm really, really pleased to be here and be part of the community. I've committed to living here."