By Prealene Khera
In November 2023, a temporary measure led to reduced reception hours at the Keilor Downs police station. Nearly 18 months on, with the change still in effect, residents are pushing for the station to re-open around the clock.
Victoria Police cut the station’s front desk hours from 24 to eight hours per day amid staff shortages.
At the time, the organisation said the move was temporary but now residents are calling for the station to revert back to its original timings.
Former vice president of the Brimbank ratepayers group, Jenny Isa said she was worried about the reduced hours.
“We need to go back to it being open for 24 hours because we need to feel protected,” she said.
“When it’s open for limited hours it can lead to us not feeling safe in our communities — people can take advantage of that.
“We’ve got an aging population so it’s really important to have that sense of security.”
Councillor Maria Kerr also spoke to the Star Weekly as a concerned resident.
“There’s a huge necessity for more police in the western suburbs in general but the population of Keilor Downs is set to increase so the police station needs to be resourced more,” she said.
Ms Kerr said she was also hoping for the establishment of a police hub at the Watergardens Shopping Centre.
“There’s a lot of antisocial behaviour happening at the centre,” she said.
“I would be good to get some police rostered there, especially on Friday nights and during the school holidays.”
A Victoria Police spokesperson said the decision to reduce the hours at the Keilor Downs station was “made with a clear objective”.
“…to ensure as many police as possible were diverted to the frontline,” the spokesperson said.
“When given the choice, police know crime is most effectively deterred and detected by community patrols, rather than from behind desks.”
The spokesperson said police provide a 24/7 response to the Keilor Downs area, with targeted patrols taking place around the clock, including at shopping centres and public transport hubs.
“The Keilor Downs reception counter remains open between 10am and 6pm, with the nearest 24-hour police reception only 7 km away in Sunshine,” the spokesperson said.
