Western Region Commander, Assistant Commissioner Geoff McKechnie to retire after 33 years with NSW Police

A new commander was appointed on Wednesday, with Central Coast Superintendent Brett Greentree - a uniformed police officer and detective who spent some time working in the New England - set to step into the role.

In announcing his retirement, Assistant Commissioner McKechnie calls time on a 33-year career, mostly in Western NSW, and says goodbye to 10 years as Western Region Commander, a region which encompasses Oxley and New England police districts, Dubbo and Broken Hill.

While he said he made the decision with a heavy heart, the Dubbo local is also excited for the future and his pending retirement.

"I will miss policing; there's no doubt about that, probably more the people than the actual work," he told The Leader.

"For us it is about the people - in the organisation and in the communities we look after."

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In retirement, he said he plans to hitch the caravan, and hit the open road.

"I'm going to try to look after the cattle I've got a bit better," he said.

"I'm going to try ride my motorcycle a bit more and I'm going to get my caravan on the road at some point with my wife - we've got our first grandchild due in August.

"So I have some really fantastic things to look forward to."

And of his more than three decades of service: "In that time I've seen and done a lot and I wouldn't change a thing," he said.

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