By Casey Neill
Greater Dandenong’s police and council joined forces for community safety in February, launching a mobile message sign.
The council donated the device to Victoria Police for promoting community safety messages throughout the city.
Sharing the responsibility for tackling crime came up again in March, at a community forum in Keysborough.
About 70 people turned up to discuss fears that crime was spiralling out of control in the area’s new estates.
They asked for more police, CCTV and security patrols.
In May, a fatal shooting in the suburb put residents on edge and police put more officers on the streets in response.
June brought good news, with latest crime figures showing crime was dropping in Greater Dandenong, bucking the state-wide upward trend.
The December statistics also showed a decrease in crime.
In June, Springvale traders told a crime forum they were anxious about break-ins and in October, Noble Park locals told a similar forum that they wanted more PSOs.
The community rallied in August following a Dandenong North home invasion, vowing to stand up against violence and support each other.
