DI Chapman studied commerce at the University of New England (UNE) and then worked as a business analyst in Sydney for 18 months before joining the NSW Police.

"I had friends from uni who joined the force, and I liked the sound of what they told me, so I did a complete left turn," he said.

"As a business analyst, I was sat at my desk every day, but in the police force, every day is different.

"I have always been active and involved in the community, particularly through sport, and what better way to provide a service back to your local community than becoming a police officer."

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Born in Tamworth, DI Chapman moved to Armidale as a primary aged student and went to Ben Venue Public School and Duval High before heading off to university at UNE.

He started as a constable in Bankstown, and during his eight years there, he progressed to the detective ranks.

During his 20 years of policing, DI Chapman has worked in Bankstown, Albury, Coffs Harbour & Clarence Valley and most recently as crime manager of the Barrier Police District based at Broken Hill, covering approximately 23 per cent of NSW in a very remote and regional setting.

He returned to Armidale to take on the role of crime manager for the New England Police District in November 2021, along with his wife and three young sons and quickly got involved with the local soccer and cricket clubs.

"Growing up in Armidale provided many good memories and experiences, and to come back some years later with my kids was an opportunity not to pass up," DI Chapman said.

"I have reconnected with mates from many years ago and found Armidale has a magnetic effect, where people have moved away and returned sometime later to experience and live in a great town.

"Unfortunately, we will never eliminate crime, however growing up in the community, and now coming back, it is evident that Armidale strongly supports their local police, and we need to continue positive engagement with the community to make sure our town is safe and continues to be a great place to live with our families."

Working and living in regional communities is what he enjoys, DI Chapman says, and he sees the New England Police District as a challenge due to the size and diversity across the communities within it.

"However, I am enjoying being back in a more populous area than the Far West, with a lot of opportunities in a fantastic part of the country," he said.

"Each local area requires a different approach to policing, what works well in Armidale, does not necessarily fit with Moree, and Inverell requires different crime strategies compared with Glen Innes.

"The best aspect of regional policing is that you have local cops serving their local community.

"We all live with our families in these communities, are part of local groups and schools, from coaching the footy teams to volunteering on weekends, and you will find that local cops are passionate about making sure their communities are safe."

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As well as the variety of the job DI Chapman said his primary motivation to become a cop was to 'lock crooks up'.

"And to this day, this is our core business," he said.

"We rely heavily on community members to assist us and provide us information about those that choose to cause harm to our communities; and they expect their local police to listen and take action.

"Policing is unique and exposes you to people at both ends of the spectrum, from seeing colleagues demonstrating amazing attributes such as courage, commitment and compassion, to engaging people in traumatic situations and members of the community who choose to cause harm."

During the next three months, the main focus is absolutely clear, DI Chapman said.

"An area I have no tolerance for is domestic and family violence," he said.

"Any form of violence is unacceptable, and I want to have the confidence that victims and witnesses come forward to their local police and feel supported to do so with the expectation that such crimes will be investigated thoroughly with the view of having perpetrators arrested and put before the courts.

"Domestic and family violence is a community issue, it impacts on families, on children, and if you have information, you need to speak up and contact police to stop the violence."

Read more: "There is no expiration date": domestic violence offender arrested on street

Having seen and experienced plenty of highs and lows in policing, DI Chapman said when he thought he had seen everything, the next job adds another to the list.

"I have worked across NSW, and living and working in regional NSW is a great reward," DI Chapman said.

"I have many years to go in this job moving forward with the fantastic men and women that serve in the New England Police District.

"There are definitely days that are challenging and confronting; however, there is a lot of satisfaction derived from performing your duty, doing it well, and knowing you have done a great service in keeping your community safe.

"We reinforce with our young police to never lose sight of why you joined the NSW Police Force. Everyone joined for various reasons, however overwhelmingly, it is to make a positive difference.

"One great achievement that is difficult to measure is crime prevention. If one person has no need to call the police, it means we have done our job and service extremely well."

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