By Eleanor Wilson
Berwick MP Brad Battin has taken aim at the State Government for a lack of police support in Casey, after fresh data showed crime in the municipality is on the rise.
Casey recorded a 5.4 per cent hike in crime for the year ending December 2022, according to the Crime Statistics Agency, with Cranbourne, Narre Warren, Clyde North and Hampton Park listed as offence hot-spots.
Mr Battin said police in Casey are struggling to keep up with the demands of a rapidly growing area.
“Crime continues to increase in Casey as police struggle to maintain numbers with the rapid population growth,” he said.
“The Andrews Labor Government has no plan to reduce crime, and with youth offending increasing at over 18 per cent, growth corridors are getting hit hard.”
The Casey Police Service Area currently has two physical stations – in Narre Warren and Cranbourne, with plans for a third in Clyde North underway.
But Mr Battin said the community is “tired of the government spin” regarding the construction of the new station, which was promised by the State Government in the lead up to the 2018 State election.
“The new police station in Clyde North was promised to be open before 2022, yet has not even had a tender completed. This means less police on the beat in areas that need it the most.”
In a statement, a Victorian Government spokesperson said settlement of land for the 24-hour Clyde North Police Station occurred on 30 May 2022 and planning for the new station is “well underway”.
The 24-hour Cranbourne Police Station is approximately 10 minutes away from Clyde North, meaning the community is “well serviced by existing police resources”, the spokesperson noted.
Across the state, crime increased by 1.2 per cent last year, but remained below pre-pandemic levels.
Shadow minister for Police, Youth Justice, Crime Prevention, Criminal Justice Reform and Corrections, Mr Battin said police presence and proactive patrols are the best prevention of crime.
“Today, police do not have the resources as they face a staff and recruiting crisis, the impact will be felt with more crime and less safe streets.
“It is time we reform the system, return the focus of police to prevention of crime and ensure we have a justice system focused on community safety.”
It comes as public satisfaction with Victoria Police slumps to a five-year low, according to the Productivity Commission’s 2021-’22 report of government services.
Almost eight per cent of those surveyed in the report, released last month, expressed total dissatisfaction with services provided by Victoria Police.
That figure is nearly two percentage points more than the previous year, The Age reported.
But the State Government said record funding and new powers for Victoria Police is ensuring the community’s safety.
“The crime statistics released last week highlight the remarkable work police are doing to keep our community safe and we thank them for their hard work and dedication,” the spokesperson said.
“Our record $4.5 billion investment in Victoria Police means they have the resources and tools they need to keep our community safe, including funding for an additional 3637 new police officers.
“We will continue to back our police with the resources they need to keep the community safe, and keep investing in early intervention measures to make sure people avoid entering the justice system in the first place.”
This includes new powers given to police by the State Government to target brazen criminal activity, including statutory minimum sentences for aggravated offences like carjacking and home invasion.
The government has also employed 42 new youth specialist officers to work in local communities and is working with Victoria Police to provide the Embedded Youth Outreach Program (EYOP), which aims to reduce long-term involvement in the criminal justice system by engaging with the young person and their family, assessing their needs and referring them to youth-specific supports.
