Senior Sergeant Darren Hart.
Camera IconSenior Sergeant Darren Hart. Credit: Supplied/Jon Hewson

Meet Mandurah’s new Officer in Charge Darren Hart

Victoria RificiMandurah Coastal Times

MANDURAH Police Station’s new Officer in Charge (OIC) Senior Sergeant Darren Hart said when he’s not working, surfing and barracking for the Fremantle Dockers were some of his favourite pastimes.

The father of two has worked in policing for 25 years, and was previously stationed at the Regional Investigations Unit.

“I worked on commercial armed robberies, prison escapees, and with offenders responsible for linked crimes across the metro area,” he said.

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Mr Hart, who has lived in Mandurah for 20 years, said his current stint as Mandurah’s top cop was similar but different to his previous role.

“There were less people to deal with but more serious offending and detective kind of work at the Regional Investigations Unit,” he said.

“Working as officer in charge, it’s high volume with more people and stuff going on everywhere, as well as serious offending.

“In terms of business and effort on my part, and using my brain, it’s similar but different.”

Mr Hart will welcome the new policing structure in a few weeks time.

He said it would focus on police taking on a greater responsibility within the community.

“The key things with the new restructure includes looking after the good people and dealing with those people who choose not to conform,” he said.

“Right now we’re a local police station and a response team both with an OIC, parading together but essentially working independently.”

Mr Hart said the restructure would mean he would take on more control in his role as OIC.

“I have no control over the guys responding to the jobs and they have limited control with the follow up of the jobs,” he said.

“The idea is for both parties to come under one umbrella, and have the same police officers deal with the same thing from start to finish.”

Mr Hart said he wasn’t foreign to the Mandurah area from a policing perspective.

“I’ve been stationed on and off over the years as uniform and detective in Mandurah,” he said.

“I’ve had a diverse career, working in both uniform and as a detective throughout the South area, particularly in Rockingham and Mandurah.”