Acting Deputy Commissioner (Operations) Stephen Brown APM has made a very special visit to Dampier Peninsular’s One Arm Point to donate a recently replaced Water Police boat to local rescue volunteers.

One Arm Point is an indigenous community located in the Kimberley Region 2446 km north of Perth and is home to the Bardi Jawi communities.

Seven clans shape the community and from within they have formed the Bardi Jawi Rangers and the Bardi Jawi Volunteer Marine Rescue Group which carry out a variety of ranger duties on both their native title land and at sea.

Acting Deputy Commissioner Brown officially handed over Water Police vessel TW153, a 3.5 metre Niad rigid inflatable last month. This vessel had already been replaced and was due for disposal.

Officer-in-Charge Water Police Senior Sergeant Greg Trew said: “We’ve been so impressed with the work the rangers have been doing off One Arm Point that we applied to donate the vessel to them rather than dispose of it.

“The Bardi Jawi people are worthy recipients of such a donation and it brings significant benefits to their local community,” he added.

“Not only that, donating the boat helps to cement a blossoming partnership between the community and local police, and only good can come out of that.”