LISMORE MP Janelle Saffin has praised local police as they step up targeted foot patrols of the Trinity Bus Interchange in Lismore’s Brewster Street to enhance community safety, particularly among school students.
Ms Saffin said she had been briefed on the Richmond Police District’s locally coordinated Operation Rapina which had received positive feedback from local businesses and community members.
“Targeted deployments were conducted in Lismore’s streets during September 2026, incorporating proactive high-visibility policing activities and knife scanning under Knife Crime Authorised Declaration (KCAD) authorisations,” Ms Saffin said.
“During these operations, police conducted foot patrols of the Trinity Bus Interchange during peak transit periods to provide a visible police presence and enhance community safety.
“This activity has remained a consistent focus of deployments in the area.”
Ms Saffin said she was advised that enhanced high-visibility policing would continue through November and December 2026.
“Shifts will include targeted patrols of the Trinity Bus Interchange, with appropriate deployments also incorporating KCAD authorisations under Operation Ares,” Ms Saffin said.
Since May 2025, Rapina has been a multi-faceted operation targeting retail theft, antisocial behaviour, weapons offences and youth-related crime through high-visibility police and proactive engagement with local businesses and the community.
Operation Rapina has transitioned to the NSW Police Force’s statewide Operations Percentile and Ares.