When the doors of Kiama Police Station swung open again this week, it wasn’t just the return of a local service - it was a moment laden with political theatre.

Closed, only for a few months for some internal roof and internal renovations, the station’s reopening has been pitched by recently sworn-in Kiama MP, Katelin McInerney and the NSW Labor Government as part of the “broader plan to rebuild the NSW Police Force”.

But ultimately, at its core, it was really about providing safe workplaces for the men and women who protect our community.

For residents, particularly in our tight-knit community, the reopening may be a welcome symbol of stability and relief.

Reports of vandalism, petty theft, intimidation in public spaces, and drug-related incidents have stirred unease.

Youth crime, while far from rampant and certainly not of the scale that is being experienced in Victoria, has placed a spotlight on the readiness and visibility of law enforcement.

In particular, Operational Regional Mongoose, a regional police operation specifically set up to investigate and tackle serious property-related crime committed predominantly by young offenders has been active in Kiama and the Illawarra in recent months.

The Minns Labor Government has framed the Station’s return as more than a photo opportunity.

The media release announcing the reopening is titled “Building a Safer NSW: Minns Government reopens Kiama Police Station to strengthen local crime prevention”.

The strong language continues in describing the former Liberal-National Government as having “no plan for police recruitment, no plan for police retention and having sent wages back for more than a decade”.

The Bugle does not disagree. Labor’s election platform emphasised reversing cuts to regional policing, increasing frontline service hours and re-establishing a presence – and the Minns Government is hitting the mark.

Yet, the reopening sits at an interesting crossroads in public debate.

Yes, the community welcomes the return to a permanent presence, but on its own, a staffed station will not solve entrenched issues that push younger people toward crime.

School disengagement and ongoing social pressures are powerful drivers.

And the more systemic challenges - from housing instability, a lack of local and long-term employment opportunities - will remain.

After all, re-opening a police station does not automatically “strengthen local crime prevention”, particularly if it’s only operating from 9am to 5pm.

Real focus needs to be placed on our youth and ensuring they remain active and engaged in their schooling, or vocational education.

Ensuring there are opportunities for our next generation to genuinely feel like they can be positive and contributory members of our society is the only way to shift at-risk youths onto a different course.

The Bugle’s View is that creating job opportunities, supporting local businesses and industry, addressing cost of living pressures and ensuring there are housing options for all, is the substance that will keep our community safe and prosperous alongside an active police station.