By Casey Neill
Greater Dandenong council will ask the State Government for more police.
New Paperbark Ward councillor Tim Dark moved a notice of motion on the issue at the Monday 12 December council meeting.
He said there’d been a 28.7 per cent increase in crime over the past 12 months and successfully moved that the council call on the State Government to provide increased police resources to the city to combat the rise, including resources to address drug crime, addiction and access to rehabilitation beds for ice addicts.
Cr Roz Blades asked for the issue to be deferred for consideration in January so the council could consult and provide the State Government with a clearer picture of why the area deserved the resources.
Her suggestion followed a 234-signature petition being tabled earlier in the evening, requesting the council take action on the increasing crime rate in Keysborough South.
“I think the government needs all of the information from the relevant agencies to approach this problem,” she said.
But her motion was defeated.
Cr Dark said the petition highlighted CCTV and lighting.
“I’m calling for more police,” he said.
“Police resources are significantly strapped.
“I’ve been inundated with calls.
“We’re seeing substantial crime getting out of control.”
Cr Sean O’Reilly said the council needed to make sure it got its fair share of resources to tackle crime plus community safety perceptions.
“Waiting won’t help that,” he said.
He referred to the State Government’s 4 December announcement that Victoria Police would recruit an extra 2729 police over four years, on top of the 406 additional police funded in the 2016-‘17 budget being recruited now.
“We need to make sure that we get what we need in greater Dandenong,” Cr O’Reilly said.
Cr Matthew Kirwan said police were doing a very good job at targeting the most violent crimes but they needed more resources, particularly to respond to increased reporting of family violence.
“The increasing concerns in the new estates of Keysborough about a surge in burglaries and other anti-social behaviour needs action from both local but particularly state government who has ultimate responsibility over law enforcement,” he said.
“People need to feel safe – and many in this area, particular those with young families, are fearful at the moment.
“The City of Greater Dandenong needs to do more and also we need to communicate better what we are already doing for residents in the area of community safety.”
