But new Monaro Police District commanding officer Paul Condon is not expecting to slow down at all in his new role.

He comes to the position after long-standing commander Rod Smith moved to a new role with the police training academy in Goulburn.

Superintendent Condon, who most recently served as commander in Deniliquin, began his journey in the NSW Police in 1994 as a probationary constable in Sydney before working throughout the Illawarra.

He became a sergeant serving in Nowra before winding up back in Sydney as a tactical commander with the riot squad and co-ordinating public order responses to events such as APEC, World Youth Day and numerous sporting fixtures.

But while the role may not have the excitement of the riot squad, Superintendent Condon said he expects the command to present plenty of challenges as he introduces initiatives to tackle local crime.

Superintendent Condon highlighted domestic violence, property crime, road trauma and youth diversion as crucial areas and ones he particularly wants to target.

He added that strengthening relationships across the border in the ACT and most importantly with local communities was vital to police doing their job.

“We can only reduce crime by working with the community and the community working with us,” he said.

He referenced the rise in “opportunistic crimes”, such as car theft, where cars and homes are regularly left unlocked, was an area where better communication with community members could see positive results.

Superintendent Condon wants to see the elimination of road deaths, expressing disappointment with people continuing to speed, drive under the influence and use mobile phones while driving.

“My officers go out all the time and deal with the most awful trauma,” he said.

“We need to stop these deaths that could be prevented.”

He also said it was time the community faced up to the drug problem that, along with alcohol, was an underlying factor for a huge amount of criminal activity.

After only four weeks on the job Superintendent Condon admits he is still learning the area and in the next weeks and months he intends to visit all of the 14 stations under his command along with community leader and members.

“I want to make sure we’re all on the same page and they can educate me,” he said.

The Monaro command has dealt with some difficult issues in recent years with the infamous ‘dinosaur incident’ and an officer charged with driving after five schooners last year.

Superintendent Condon was not critical of the command prior to his arrival but said part of the next few weeks would be spent “setting down what I think is acceptable”.

“The command ran very well under Rod Smith, it’s my goal now to put my own spin on it,” he said.

“I always want to move a command forward.”

He said the rollout of body cameras for officers across the state and police working closely with the local community would hopefully restore any lost faith in the force.