Newly appointed Local Area Commander Zoran Dzevlan has flagged domestic violence and alcohol-related crime as main areas of focus for Lake Illawarra police.
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Formerly of Hume LAC, Superintendent Dzevlan has been appointed to lead the larger Lake Illawarra command for the next three months, filling the post left vacant by Superintendent Wayne Starling.
Supt Dzevlan told the Mercury he had inherited an LAC known for its strong community ties.
“It’s a very well run command but very, very busy, and a command that focuses itself on community engagement and interacting with the criminal element very well,” he said.
“Community ties are vital to apprehending offenders and trying to prevent crime from occurring.
“There’s a lot of programs here with a lot of different groups that have worked very, very well.
“Supt Starling … did a fantastic job setting up those networks.
“The men and women that continue to work for Lake Illawarra continue to drive those networks.”
The Australian-born son of Croatian parents, Supt Dzevlan began his policing career in 1990, starting as a general duties officer in Campbelltown.
He spent eight years in the Force’s special services group, then was an anti-theft sergeant and a duty officer at Cabramatta.
He was staff officer to Assistant Commissioner Mark Murdoch, working in Central Sydney and Wollongong, then acted as relieving commander at King’s Cross, City Central, Eastern Beaches, Sutherland and Rose Bay LACs.
He cited the size of Lake Illawarra LAC as one of the new job’s challenging aspects.
And he said residents – not just police – had a role to play in driving down rates of property theft.
“Property crime is higher than it needs to be,” he said.
“People need to take personal responsibility in cases where a car is unlocked or valuable items are left in clear, open view for any would-be criminals walking past.”
Supt Dzevlan is a father to four boys, aged 9-19.
He said his main focus would be on police response to domestic violence and alcohol-related crime.
“The response really needs to be done right,” he said.
“We need to stop domestic violence because of the impact it has on the victim, but more importantly, the children who witness it.”
Supt Starling departed the region at the end of 2015 to begin a new role in Tweed Heads.
