A new Aboriginal community liaison officer hopes to help foster community-police relationships while a plaque honouring traditional owners of the land is set to soon be revealed ahead of NAIDOC week.
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Officer Johnny Day joined Warrnambool police less than two weeks ago and has been working with the team to build community engagement.
He said that was particularly important in the lead-up to NAIDOC week.
"NAIDOC is a very special occasion for everybody, it's about breaking down barriers and creating a bit of understanding about things," he said.
"My job is to get out there and break down the barriers that may exist between the Aboriginal communities and the police.
"I'm there to make sure we get good outcomes. Educating around culture with the police - that's what it's about so I'll be visiting a few venues, doing some activities and be a part of that."
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Acting Superintendent Paul Marshall said police were engaging in a range of activities for NAIDOC week.
"Whatever the community or the Aboriginal organisations are running, we'll try and get involved and engaged as best we can," he said.
"We're also running a colouring competition for community involvement and engagement to build that connection, from Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples.
"A little while back we had the family violence police protocols - the central art piece has been redesigned as a colouring competition.
"It's been around for a few years, it's a really exciting piece called 'Hope' and through that design we'll let the kids choose their own colours and schemes. It's connected to the prevention of family violence in all communities."
He said a new plaque would also be erected outside the station in the coming weeks.
"We're going to get a plaque up here that's going to be an acknowledgement of the traditional owners of the country," Superintendent Marshall said.
"That's going to go up in a couple of weeks which is exciting for us.
"Other than that, we're just going to really try and engage, get our young members out to community activities, get out to Framlingham and say g'day."
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