Population growth in Caroline Springs has “outstripped” the service demand Victoria Police can provide, the north-west’s top cop admits but has refused to announce when the area will be receiving extra police.
North-west Commander Russell Barrett addressed hundreds of locals rallying for more police reassuring them Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton, who was not present, had acknowledged the community were living in fear.
“I have every understanding why people would be fearful,” Commander Barrett said. “I feel for the community.
“There’s been considerable growth in Caroline Springs – we can’t hide away from it. The growth in Caroline Springs is significant -it’s outstripped the service demand we can provide.”
Commander Barrett said the message from Chief Commissioner Ashton was “very clear” – the extra 300 frontline police funded in this year’s state budget would be deployed to high growth and high crime areas.
Those officers are not expected to graduate from the Police Academy until next year.
One resident, Paulo Penailillo, said he once called Triple Zero five times without a response. He told Commander Barrett his family were living in fear.
“Why are we calling Triple Zero for?” Mr Penailillo asked. “We ended up sleeping with the dog inside because we’re living in fear. What do we have to do? Get a gun? Shoot them?”
Holding placards reading “More Police”, “24 Hour Police” and “Safe Streets”, residents demanded extra police immediately.
Police Association Secretary Ron Iddles said the community was not feeling safe and, unless addressed, law and order would be the “number one” issue at the next state elections.
“You have a right to be safe in your community, and you have a right to feel safe, and I know currently, from what I’ve heard, you don’t feel safe,” Mr Iddles said.
“When you don’t feel safe in your community, it becomes a government issue. It hits at the community – it hits at the basic fabric of our society.”
Mr Iddles said while he acknowledged the state government funded 300 police, over the next two years, those numbers were not enough to keep up with population growth.
“We’re behind the eight-ball,” he said. “There’s been an investment in building police stations, in technology.
“The current government says we’re going to give iPads, the current government says this iPad is worth 500 police. I’m here to tell you I’ve never seen an iPad drive to a serious assault, I’ve never seen a computer leave a police station.”
Upper house Western Metropolitan MPs Cesar Melhem, representing Labor, and Bernie Finn, representing Liberals, said the rally had sent a “loud and clear message” to Spring Street.
Mr Melhem urged locals to “maintain your rage, maintain your pressure, maintain your activism”.
“There’s no question, no brainer we need more police on the beat,” Mr Melhem said. “I can assure you the government accepts that proposition because that’s the only solutions.
“Western suburbs has grown very quickly but unfortunately, we have not caught up with the numbers to match the population growth.
“I can see that you can see that, and now the government sees that.”
Mr Finn said the government was failing in its responsibility to protect its citizens.
“We must demand more police,” he said “We need the police to protect us. That must be the government’s first priority.”
