Helicopter Presence in Newcastle: NSW Police Reveal Weekend Polair Operations

2 October 2024

Newcastle residents raised concerns after noticing a helicopter circling the city over the weekend. NSW Police have now confirmed that Polair, the NSW Police Force Aviation Command, was conducting operations on Friday 27 September and Saturday 28 September 2024, providing vital aerial support to local police.

Polair’s full-time presence in Newcastle over the two days contributed to 18 operations, with the aerial unit playing a key role in assisting ground officers during various incidents.

Key Incidents Supported by Polair

Over the course of the weekend, Polair assisted with several important tasks, including:

Locating seven offenders and three missing persons.
Providing real-time updates to officers during three traffic incidents, including an alleged case of dangerous driving at Kooragang and a motor vehicle accident.
Assisting in dispersing a large crowd at Merewether, resulting in the arrest of three individuals.

Polair’s aerial perspective was instrumental in ensuring swift responses and managing public safety during these operations.

House Party Incident in Merewether

At approximately 10:10pm on Saturday 28 September, Newcastle police responded to a noise complaint on Hillcrest Road, Merewether. Officers arrived to find a large crowd gathered on the street.

With assistance from Polair, officers were able to disperse the crowd, issuing move-on directions. Three individuals were arrested:

An 18-year-old man received infringement notices for offensive language and failing to comply with a police direction.
A 17-year-old girl was arrested for using offensive language and will be dealt with under the Young Offenders Act.
A second 18-year-old man was arrested in connection with a breach of the peace but was later released.

Dangerous Driving Incident in Kooragang

Earlier that same day, at around 12:35am, Polair responded to reports of vehicles performing burnouts on Greenleaf Road, Kooragang. Polair was first on the scene and observed a white sedan allegedly speeding and driving dangerously.

The aerial unit directed Traffic and Highway Patrol officers to the vehicle, where a 21-year-old man was subjected to a preliminary roadside breath test, which he allegedly failed. He was taken to Newcastle Police Station, where he returned a positive blood alcohol concentration (PCA) of 0.084, classified as mid-range.

The man has been issued a future court attendance notice for driving with mid-range PCA and dangerous driving and is set to appear in Newcastle Local Court in November 2024.