By CASEY NEILL
GREATER Dandenong has experienced the largest increase in drug offences in the state, latest Victoria Police figures show.
There were 1152 drug offences recorded in the Police Service Area (PSA) between April last year and March this year, up 26 per cent from the previous 12 months.
Inspector Bruce Kitchen said crystal methamphetamine or ‘ice’ was the driving factor behind the increase.
“Ice is obviously an issue within not just Dandenong but all over. It obviously is influencing our crime rate,” he said.
“We have also apprehended a number of people that are actually dealing in cannabis crop type situations.
“Ice is a drug that is leading to some of our violence on the streets.”
Figures showed a five per cent increase in total crime in Greater Dandenong.
“However we have seen a significant decrease (15.5 per cent) in residential burglary which is a fantastic result,” Insp Kitchen said.
“This has been achievable by our members utilising intelligence-based data and targeting recidivist offenders.”
He said increases in assault excluding family violence (8.8 per cent) and theft from motor vehicles (10 per cent) were major concerns.
“We will continue to work with other agencies and service providers to reduce non-family violence assaults,” he said.
“We will work with residential care facilities and accommodation houses to make the community safer.
“An analysis of our statistics has shown that with the majority of these assaults, both the offender and victim are known to each other.”
Insp Kitchen said the Greater Dandenong Family Violence Unit continued to have a significant impact on repeat offenders and a vast improvement on referrals and reporting.
“Greater Dandenong is one of few PSAs that have seen a reduction in family violence reports over a 12-month period,” he said.
He said PSOs now manned all Greater Dandenong railway stations and a reduction in offences at the stations had continued with their presence.
Police recruits will continue to visit Dandenong Plaza through Operation OPTIC, which will expand to Parkmore Shopping Centre in Keysborough.
“I encourage all members of the Greater Dandenong community, whether you live or work here, to please be vigilant and if you see a suspicious person, suspicious vehicle or groups of youths causing trouble, contact police,” Insp Kitchen said.
“You are our eyes and ears and we need your help to make the City of Greater Dandenong a safer place.”
