Molong residents say they have been left in the cold by a lack of police numbers, with a request for officers to be on-duty in the town 24-hours a day knocked back.
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Citizens of the town have been pushing for more officers for 12 months, and are also pushing for an increased police presence in Manildra, Canowindra and Cumnock, the latter of with has been isolated without an officer for months.
Concerned citizen Aaron Pearson was one of those residents who put together a petition in June calling for more police numbers and after raising the issue with Member for Orange Phil Donato earlier in the year.
Mr Donato passed residents' concerns on to the NSW government and the police commissioners, but while Central West Police District was given six additional officers this year, all were set to be based in Orange.
A letter from the parliamentary secretary for police and justice Mark Taylor, sent to Mr Donato after the Member for Orange raised concerns around police numbers, said "there is a relatively low level of recorded crime" in Molong, Cumnock, Manildra and Canowindra.
Mr Pearson said he was "angry" and "kind of lost my temper" when he saw the letter.
He said he'd spoken to local police who said moving from place to place - and being called into Orange, made their jobs difficult at times.
Mr Donato said he remained hopeful of more officers for those affected areas.
"The commissioner has said more officers will be distributed on needs basis so hopefully we'll see some more [coming to the Central West Police District]," he said.
"These isolated communities are more at-risk and we need to keep asking the question."
The office for the Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott directed inquiries to NSW Police, but said officers had been added to Central West Police District during the year as part of the allocation of 1500 new officers across the state.
A spokesperson for NSW Police said police numbers often fluctuate due to a range of factors.
"NSW Police regularly review resourcing and allocation of police officers according to operational needs," they said.
"We will continue to monitor police numbers to ensure communities are served and supported by their local officers."
The answers reflected the letter which was sent to Mr Donato, which Mr Pearson said was "political spin".
He said the petition for more officers - which was signed by hundreds of residents but not sent to the government due to Mr Donato raising concerns on their behalf - would likely be revived in the new year.
