Barratt poised to build on trust in community

The new top cop of the small town of Roebourne is ready to apply his 16 years of experience in the Pilbara to face his biggest career challenge yet. Senior Sergeant Mark Barratt hopes to work with the community to help improve the lives of children in the town, which had its turbulent history thrown in the spotlight in 2016 when WA Police launched a large-scale investigation into sex abuse in the region. The major probe saw 54 men charged with more than 360 offences, involving 180 suspected victims, most from Roebourne, a town that has tried to rebuild ever since. Sen. Sgt Barratt said the police and the community had become closer in the past few years and he wanted to continue and build on the trust. He said family dysfunction was prevalent in Roebourne and he aimed to work with the community alongside other service providers to improve family lives. “The team that we’ve got are poised to tackle that challenge and to make a difference,” he said. “We are really keen to work with families to improve their lives, to refer them to other support agencies, and help them with their parental responsibilities because there is a link between risky youth behaviour and volatile family life.” Sen Sgt Barratt said alcohol was a factor in family violence and a way to minimise its impact would be to look into liquor restricted premises. “A liquor restricted premise is simply a house where liquor is not allowed to be brought into the premises,” he said. “Fundamentally the number one issue is once liquor is sold, the consumption and control is gone, and unfortunately vulnerable people can lead themselves into harm’s way with excessive consumption of liquor.” Sen. Sgt Barratt arrived in Roebourne in September before becoming the station’s officer-in-charge just before Christmas. “I’ve got a long history in country policing, and I haven’t just worked in the Pilbara for a long time, I’ve worked in regional WA for 23 years,” he said. “We can have some fun with the community, get involved, and humanise ourselves as police officers in the community.” Sen. Sgt Barratt said it was important for the community to remember officers lived in the community as well. “We want to raise our families and have our partners live in the same community and feel happy with it, so it’s important to be in that community space.”