From the Chief Operating Officer

February 2019

After six inspiring years, I have recently resigned as Chief Operating officer of NSW Police Legacy to take up a new position in the charity sector. Whilst there is great sadness in leaving your charity, I am looking forward to a new challenge.

Daily newsworthy events are a small testament to the risks that police officers face whilst discharging their regular duties. If we engaged an actuarial expert to apply a risk vs reward analysis for remuneration, I would suspect it would be near impossible to afford a police force that successfully keeps our community safe as ours does.

Our benefits aim to preserve life, family, education, history and property in a myriad of ways that support the resilience of our Police Family when tragedy strikes.

Over 6 years I have met many former and serving police officers and their families, and their support of the charity has been unwavering. It has been an honour to assist in times of need, and to thank them for their regular salary contributions, or the fundraising initiatives they have implemented to support the charity or a colleague. The connection, compassion and community of the NSW Police Force is admirable.

To all our beneficiaries, thank you for your advice and support and most importantly for sharing your stories. I hope we listened well. There will always be a big part of my heart in an organisation that makes a difference to a very special group of people.

To our volunteers, you have given us over 7,000 hours alone this past year to help us get the job done. Heartfelt thanks for donating your time, skill and energy to support the police family.

To our sponsors and donors, sincere thanks for your generosity and insight into our unique requirements.

A sincere thank you to the staff that have continually fulfilled their role with professionalism and incredible humour. We have shared many tears, big belly laughs and possibly too much cake. At the 2018 Christmas luncheon, every employee engaged with our beneficiaries and guests with attentiveness and compassion. I feel very fortunate to have worked with them all.

I am thankful that I have had this opportunity to meet so many diverse members of the Police Family and understand, to the best of my ability, what that means. I am also grateful that there was an opportunity with the Board and staff to develop, implement and consolidate changes to ensure the charity is modern and responsive. There will always be more work to do and there is an extremely capable team and Board to ensure that this essential work continues. I leave you in safe hands – go well and farewell.

Elizabeth Svoboda, Chief Operating Officer