By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
POLICE Minister Wade Noonan has applauded the efforts of the Narre Warren PACER unit when he spoke exclusively to the News last week about law enforcement in the region.
During a visit to the Narre Warren station on Thursday, Mr Noonan met with members of the PACER team – which pairs police officers with psychiatric nurses – to discuss the effectiveness of the unit.
Since PACER was set up in Narre Warren in late 2011, it has seen more than 1500 cases.
“Critically, they’ve been able to divert about 80 per cent of those situations from the need to be transported to hospital,” Mr Noonan said.
“They are assessed on-site, wherever that may be, and with a mental health clinician there, advice has been provided, and referrals can be given,” he said.
“This is for non-acute based mental health care.
“Before a pacer model existed, police in a majority of cases would transport individuals to hospital and stay there for an average of two and half hours.”
The Narre Warren PACER unit operates seven days a week from 3pm to 11pm and covers the Southern Metro Division 3, which includes Springvale, Dandenong, Narre Warren, Berwick, Pakenham and Cranbourne.
Mr Noonan said the single Narre Warren PACER unit began as a trial and is now a permanent fixture.
But he said the government would look to start-up PACER teams in all metropolitan and rural regions in Victoria before looking into the viability of setting up more teams in Narre Warren and providing additional funding.
Turning to other local issues, the minister applauded the policing of Anzac services in Melbourne’s south-east last weekend after three Casey teenagers were charged in relation to an alleged terrorist plot.
He said police would continue to build relationships with youth from all “settings.”
“Police have, right across Melbourne and Victoria, a strong program of building relationships with people from all settings, including multicultural settings, and I think the state’s expectation is that will continue,” Mr Noonan said.
When asked about Casey Council’s push to have the Endeavour Hills station manned 24 hours a day, Mr Noonan said the decision lay ultimately with the police Commissioner.
“It’s not for politicians to determine when stations are opening or closing,” he said.
“When these matters are raised with the local member or me, the minister, we refer them to the Chief Commissioner.
“Police will police on intelligence and make a determination.”
In response to calls for a completely new police station in Clyde to be built, led by Casey councillor Amanda Stapledon among others, Mr Noonan said the government would work closely with police when investigating the potential need for a new facility.
He said the government wouldn’t “impose” stations on police that “may not be required.”
