* NSW Police recruits undertaking the online offering in the NSW policing degree can now complete their compulsory residential sessions in Port Macquarie.* First residential to be held at CSU in Port Macquarie on Friday 14 September.* NSW Police Force now coming to the candidates to attract more country recruits.Policing students undertaking the Associate Degree in Policing Practice offered online by Charles Sturt University (CSU) and the NSW Police are getting the opportunity to undertake their compulsory residential sessions on the NSW Mid North Coast.Students in the online option of the Associate Degree will start their first residential school at CSU in Port Macquarie on Friday 14 September.While the first session of the course is offered full time at the NSW Police Academy in Goulburn, NSW, students seeking to enter the NSW Police Force can choose to study Session One online while they continue work in the community. Those studying online must also attend residential ‘phases’ to complete the course requirements for the first session.Commander of the NSW Police Academy, Chief Superintendent Rod Smith, said until now the residential phases were all conducted at the Police Academy.“We have created more opportunities for people to join the NSW Police Force and have developed a program that will allow the residential phases to be conducted remotely,” said Chief Superintendent Smith.A total of 35 students have enrolled in the online course to start their journey to become a NSW Police Officer, the largest online group since 2014. After completing the first session, the students will study full time at the Goulburn academy for 16 weeks.“It is encouraging to see people from the Coast take up the offer and commence their study to become a police officer,” Chief Superintendent Smith said.“The offering of residential phases at Port Macquarie minimises the time spent away from home, allowing them to continue to work while completing the first part of the course.”Executive Dean of the CSU Faculty of Business, Justice and Behavioural Sciences, Professor Tracey Green, said the University worked closely with NSW Police Force on this initiative.“Charles Sturt University is delighted to facilitate this ADPP offering at our campus at Port Macquarie.“We wholeheartedly support the initiative of NSW Police to make a policing career more accessible to people living in regional NSW,” Professor Green said.The NSW Police Recruitment Branch are also taking the entry assessments to the country. Testing has been conducted at Kempsey, Bathurst and Dubbo to date, with more sites scheduled throughout the remainder of the year. Applicants receive physical capacity and psychometric testing as well as face-to-face interviews.“In the past, applicants were required to travel to Sydney to take part in these tests. In an attempt to attract more country recruits and streamline the process, we are now coming to the candidates,” Chief Superintendent Smith said.The NSW Police Academy currently has 730 policing students studying full time on the Associate Degree of Policing Practice at Goulburn, with a further 55 studying for the Associate Degree online.