Glenn Owen is the divisional commander for western region division two police, which encompasses Warrnambool, Moyne, Southern Grampians, Corangamite and Glenelg.

His near-30 years in the force has seen him work in some of Melbourne's most exigent police units, including major organised crime and bomb squads, counter terrorism, intelligence and covert support and the critical incident response team.

More recently he was the officer in charge of the state's special operations group, where he helped end the stigma of seeking mental health help.

"I've always had a real focus and history in terms of looking after the physical and mental well-being of our people," he said.

"Mental health was a huge priority at the special operations group. We had police responding to really high-risk, life threatening jobs. And in some cases, our members did get injured. We had members shot not too long ago in Brighton and others seriously injured during the 2014 explosion in Derrinallum.

"To be involved in that cadre of people was probably one of the finest career moments that I've had so far, and the way they were able to respond to that significant trauma and get themselves back to work was just amazing.

"I think some of the mental health initiatives we were able to implement will remain a bit of a legacy."

Alongside experience, Superintendent Owen brings with him a world of knowledge. After winning the 2016 Winston Churchill Fellowship, he traveled to America and through parts of Europe studying contemporary policing capabilities, with a particular focus on tactical response models.

"The people I met and the experiences I had on that trip were second to none," he said. "I connected with people all over the world and I still call on them today if I need to, and vice versa."

Superintendent Owen started his new role in the south-west in January. He said he was looking forward to the new challenges it would bring.

"I don't think any job has been easy or difficult. Every job comes with different challenges," he said.

"Having said that, Warrnambool is a safe area. There's a better sense of community down here and while I suspect there will be many challenges, I think they will be more enjoyable as police work with the community to resolve them."

Superintendent Owen said his first priority was connecting with the south-west community.

"So far I've had the opportunity to travel a fair bit of the division, not just in Warrnambool but up through the Southern Grampians as well. I get the impression that people tend to assume that police know what is going on or are too busy to engage properly with their community," he said.

"I want to better connect with our communities, particularity our more remote and vulnerable ones, and make sure they feel safe and confident in their local police. The division down here has done a fantastic job over many years, but there's always areas for improvement."

Superintendent Owen said from an operational perspective, road safety was a primary issue.

"I don't think it's any secret that there's been a high number of fatalities in the western region this year," he said. "As a divisional team, everyone has numbers on the ball in terms of looking at how we can stop another fatality. It will be an absolute number one priority, not just for highway patrol but for uniform police and investigative areas."

Seven people have died on south-west roads this year compared to nine for all of 2018. Superintendent Owen said it was also the responsibility of the community.

"Everyone needs to understand their own driving behaviour. We need an investment from the whole community," he said.

"At the end of the day we are employed to give full-time attention to things that are the responsibility of every citizen. I'm really hoping that we can create a community web of protection here and ensure we really are engaged in the community."

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