Crime rate jump concerns police

By Rebecca Fraser
OPPOSITION police spokesperson Kim Wells met with local police last week to discuss issues and concerns facing the Narre Warren force.
Narre Warren South Liberal candidate Michael Shepherdson and other party members accompanied Mr Wells on a tour of the station, where Mr Wells discussed crime levels in the City of Casey and the workloads of local police.
“At the station, we discussed staffing numbers, as well as the burdens of paperwork.
“The police-in-schools program, blue-light discos, graffiti, knives and weapons in schools, and the availability of tazers were also talked about,” Mr Wells said.
“Crime in the area was also a hot topic, particularly as Victoria Police data shows crime figures in Casey have jumped by 8.5 per cent between 2003-04 and 2004-05, while serious crimes against the person increased by more than 28 per cent,” he said.
However, Senior Sergeant Alan McCarthy, of Narre Warren police, said the data was misleading and did not indicate a sudden increase in crime.
Instead, Sen Sgt McCarthy said it highlighted that more crimes were being reported and uncovered by police.
He said all the crimes did not necessarily occur in the year and some that were reported happened in the previous year.
Other factors, which police were currently remedying, had distorted the figures, he said.
Mr Wells also spoke about police stations being used to hold prisoners, and said the system needed to be reviewed.
The opposition spokesperson also said a more efficient way of dealing with domestic violence needed to be established.
In contrast, Victorian Police Minister Tim Holding said recent Victoria Police figures showed there had been a significant drop in crime in the City of Casey.
He said the figures showed that since 2001 the crime rate in the City of Casey had fallen by 13.1 per cent and that crimes such as homicide, sexual assault, robbery and drug possession were on the decline.