By CASEY NEILL
A PROGRAM pairing police with community leaders is cutting youth crime in Greater Dandenong and Casey.
The Police and Youth Leaders Engagement Team (PYLET) program has been running in the municipalities since April.
Acting Senior Sergeant Joey Herrech, PYLET co-ordinator and Multicultural Liaison Unit member, said police found too many young people in these areas engaging in high-risk behaviours.
They wanted to stop them from slipping through the cracks, researched proactive policing techniques used elsewhere and came up with PYLET.
Two police officers work side-by-side with up to 10 volunteer community youth leaders on targeted patrols of trouble hot spots each Friday night.
“We’ve tried other times.
“Friday night seems to be the best day for us,” he said.
“We go out on Saturday nights if there are events on involving youths.”
The crews seek out and engage with young people in a friendly manner, build rapport and link them to any help they need.
“We want to help with alternatives to the judicial system,” Act Sen Sgt Herrech said.
“Early intervention is the fundamental objective of the initiative.”
He said the results had been fantastic.
“There’s a direct correlation in us patrolling and what operation police are responding to later in the night,” he said.
He said the patrols were improving community perceptions of safety in public spaces that had historically drawn police attention, particularly in Cranbourne, Narre Warren, Doveton, Hampton Park, Springvale, Dandenong and Noble Park.
They can get called to attend youth gatherings before a police response is needed.
“We try to be proactive and check it out,” he said.
“We negate them hanging around and becoming a reactive issue later in the evening.”
Act Sen Sgt Herrech said the team recruited respected community volunteers from Sudanese, Maori and Pacific Islander backgrounds.
Many have qualifications in community development, social service and youth justice.
“It takes a certain cut of person to be involved,” he said.
They receive training, are bound to protect the privacy of those they encounter and are identified with a fluorescent yellow safety vest.
“A group of police walking up to a group is an ’us and them’ mentality,” Act Sen Sgt Herrech said.
“Police and a Sudanese guy… that’s our bridge-builder.”
A project analysis is almost complete but Act Sen Sgt Herrech said PYLET had been so successful it could be rolled out across the state and will operate throughout the Southern Metropolitan Region during summer.
“We hope it will mean police won’t be called out to constantly deal with youths in trouble hot spots,” he said.
“They can deal with ‘real criminals’ instead of baby-sitting.”
Contact Joey Herrech at joseph.herrech@police.vic.gov.au or 0411 511 265 for more information or to get involved.
