Police Association representative Adam Piffarelli said the incident highlighted the risks police were being placed under due to a shortage of officers in the city.

“She had to spend three weeks on the sideline. Not only is that a concern for her and for us but also it has an ongoing effect for other staff where we are running short,” he said.

“[Police] have to go and pick up the slack from there to then go and potentially put themselves at extra risk, not just from facing these people who are fuelled by drugs but then ongoing affects like being burned out,” he said.

Mr Piffarelli has called for 12 more police in Orange and was backed by the Member for Orange Phil Donato on Wednesday.

“It’s a massive issue for police here in Orange as well as NSW,” Mr Donato said.

“Orange has one of the lowest police to population ratios not only in NSW but across Australia.”

READ MORE: Not enough officers in Central West NSW, Police Association says

He said he supported the Police Association’s call for an extra 2500 police in NSW and criticised the state government for announcing only 100 extra police for the financial year.

“We need to get these additional police into Orange as soon as possible,” he said.