A Safer Community
Everyone has the right to feel safe. In their homes, on the street, in parks and anywhere else. A significant responsibility for a democratically elected government is to enact the will of the people, and to safeguard those people from harm.
It has been said that the Police Presence in Wyndham, of which point Cook is a part, is WELL BELOW the state average. "Police Association figures show Wyndham has 88 first response police or 45 per 100,000 people. But the state average is 102 per 100,000 people. Association secretary Ron Iddles said Wyndham needed 111 more first responders to be on par with [equal to] the state average." [1]
Based on Point Cooks population at 40,000 (as it was a few years ago), we should have a police force of 30-40 officers, just for our town alone.
This is an issue the state government itself has acknowledged. With this announcement from here: www.jillhennessy.com.au/media-releases/land-to-be-acquired-for-future-point-cook-police-station/
MAY 1, 2018
The first step in the development of a future Point Cook Police Station begins today, with the Victorian Budget 2018/19 allocating funds to search for and acquire land in the growing community.
Member for Altona District Jill Hennessy today welcomed the allocation, describing it as a significant first step in building a police station in Point Cook.
The 2018/19 police infrastructure budget will allocate funds to search for and acquire land for a new police station in the Point Cook area and also includes funding to rebuild the Melbourne East Police Station.
With the availability of land limited in the growing Point Cook community these first steps will ensure a suitable site is located.
This announcement comes on top of the Andrews Labor Government’s record investment in Victoria Police, with 3,135 new police being recruited over the next four years.
Already the Point Cook and broader Wyndham community are seeing the benefits of this boost to police numbers, with 27 new police on the beat and a further 12 to be deployed in the next year.
Bolstered by these new officers, police in Wyndham have driven down crime in the community. The offence rate per 100,000 dropped by 10.9 per cent in the year to December 2017. The number of offences recorded in the Point Cook locality followed similar trend dropping nine per cent when compared to the previous year.
While these are positive signs for the community there is more work to be done, which is why this investment in land acquisition continues the Labor record of funding police in Wyndham.
Unlike the previous Liberal Government, which cut funding to our state’s police force, the Labor Government is delivering the biggest increase in personnel, powers and capability in Victoria Police’s history.
Quotes attributable to Member for Altona District Jill Hennessy MP
“Only Labor Governments have delivered new police resources to Wyndham — we built Wyndham North Police Station, we are rebuilding Werribee Police Station and now we are taking the first steps for a police station for Point Cook.”
“This funding will ensure an appropriate site is located to meet the future policing needs of Point Cook and surrounds.”
“I am proud to have secured this critical first step for our community, and will continue to advocate for more police, more protection, and more prevention for my electorate.”
In addition to low numbers, the Police Force in Wyndham is dealing with significant levels of Domestic Violence. "Figures from the Western Integrated Family Violence Committee reveal that in 2013-14, there were 2278 reports of family violence in Wyndham – more than double the year before. Across the state, family violence offences rose by 14.4 per cent during the same period." [2]
The Police in Wyndham are under resourced, and dealing with ever increasing Domestic Violence issues. As a community, we need to embrace initiatives like White Ribbon Day, and have a zero tolerance approach to this crime.
The 2011 VicHealth Indicators Survey measured the Perceptions of Safety for regions across Victoria. People were asked to rate how safe they felt when walking alone in their local area during the day and at night. Daytime results were very similar, with most feeling sage, but"When walking alone at night 54.2% of persons in Wyndham felt safe or very safe, compared to 65.2% in the Northern & Western Metro Region and the Victorian State average of 70.3%." [3]
Simply put, half the people here do not feel it is safe to walk alone at night. The lack of police would certainly be a contributor.
Government needs to fix this issue as a priority. Police numbers (and the resources they need) have to be increased to be able to adequately protect and serve the community of Wyndham. That land, and the building to go on it, need to be funded now.
Sources:
[1] http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/west/wyndham-needs-more-cops-says-police-association/story-fngnvmj7-1227023101793
[2] http://www.wyndham.starweekly.com.au/story/1831160/wyndham-council-acts-on-family-violence-as-incidents-soar/
[3] http://www.communityindicators.net.au/wellbeing_reports/wyndham
It has been said that the Police Presence in Wyndham, of which point Cook is a part, is WELL BELOW the state average. "Police Association figures show Wyndham has 88 first response police or 45 per 100,000 people. But the state average is 102 per 100,000 people. Association secretary Ron Iddles said Wyndham needed 111 more first responders to be on par with [equal to] the state average." [1]
Based on Point Cooks population at 40,000 (as it was a few years ago), we should have a police force of 30-40 officers, just for our town alone.
This is an issue the state government itself has acknowledged. With this announcement from here: www.jillhennessy.com.au/media-releases/land-to-be-acquired-for-future-point-cook-police-station/
MAY 1, 2018
The first step in the development of a future Point Cook Police Station begins today, with the Victorian Budget 2018/19 allocating funds to search for and acquire land in the growing community.
Member for Altona District Jill Hennessy today welcomed the allocation, describing it as a significant first step in building a police station in Point Cook.
The 2018/19 police infrastructure budget will allocate funds to search for and acquire land for a new police station in the Point Cook area and also includes funding to rebuild the Melbourne East Police Station.
With the availability of land limited in the growing Point Cook community these first steps will ensure a suitable site is located.
This announcement comes on top of the Andrews Labor Government’s record investment in Victoria Police, with 3,135 new police being recruited over the next four years.
Already the Point Cook and broader Wyndham community are seeing the benefits of this boost to police numbers, with 27 new police on the beat and a further 12 to be deployed in the next year.
Bolstered by these new officers, police in Wyndham have driven down crime in the community. The offence rate per 100,000 dropped by 10.9 per cent in the year to December 2017. The number of offences recorded in the Point Cook locality followed similar trend dropping nine per cent when compared to the previous year.
While these are positive signs for the community there is more work to be done, which is why this investment in land acquisition continues the Labor record of funding police in Wyndham.
Unlike the previous Liberal Government, which cut funding to our state’s police force, the Labor Government is delivering the biggest increase in personnel, powers and capability in Victoria Police’s history.
Quotes attributable to Member for Altona District Jill Hennessy MP
“Only Labor Governments have delivered new police resources to Wyndham — we built Wyndham North Police Station, we are rebuilding Werribee Police Station and now we are taking the first steps for a police station for Point Cook.”
“This funding will ensure an appropriate site is located to meet the future policing needs of Point Cook and surrounds.”
“I am proud to have secured this critical first step for our community, and will continue to advocate for more police, more protection, and more prevention for my electorate.”
In addition to low numbers, the Police Force in Wyndham is dealing with significant levels of Domestic Violence. "Figures from the Western Integrated Family Violence Committee reveal that in 2013-14, there were 2278 reports of family violence in Wyndham – more than double the year before. Across the state, family violence offences rose by 14.4 per cent during the same period." [2]
The Police in Wyndham are under resourced, and dealing with ever increasing Domestic Violence issues. As a community, we need to embrace initiatives like White Ribbon Day, and have a zero tolerance approach to this crime.
The 2011 VicHealth Indicators Survey measured the Perceptions of Safety for regions across Victoria. People were asked to rate how safe they felt when walking alone in their local area during the day and at night. Daytime results were very similar, with most feeling sage, but"When walking alone at night 54.2% of persons in Wyndham felt safe or very safe, compared to 65.2% in the Northern & Western Metro Region and the Victorian State average of 70.3%." [3]
Simply put, half the people here do not feel it is safe to walk alone at night. The lack of police would certainly be a contributor.
Government needs to fix this issue as a priority. Police numbers (and the resources they need) have to be increased to be able to adequately protect and serve the community of Wyndham. That land, and the building to go on it, need to be funded now.
Sources:
[1] http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/west/wyndham-needs-more-cops-says-police-association/story-fngnvmj7-1227023101793
[2] http://www.wyndham.starweekly.com.au/story/1831160/wyndham-council-acts-on-family-violence-as-incidents-soar/
[3] http://www.communityindicators.net.au/wellbeing_reports/wyndham