Be more liberal with cops: locals

By Tania Martin
EMERALD residents hope a Liberal Government promise to boost police numbers would translate into more cops on the beat locally.
Resident Nadia Wildes said it would be wonderful if the plan eventuated, adding that the lack of police in Emerald remained a big concern.
The Liberal opposition plan would see advertising budgets cut and government surplus cash used to fund extra police.
Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu last week pledged to fund an additional 1600 recruits in his first term of government if his party was successful at the polls later this year.
He claimed the $344 million plan would end chronic statewide police shortages and restore public safety in metropolitan and regional communities.
“We will make Victoria safe again,” Mr Baillieu said.
The plan will be funded over four years and will also include an additional $65 million capital allocation for equipment, including $8 million for expanded training facilities and staff at the Police Academy.
Mr Baillieu aims to cut State Government advertising campaigns by up to $35 million to pay for the extra police.
The remaining $67.25 million per year would be provided from funds available in the budget forward estimates and operating surpluses.
This latest promise comes after a call in February by Emerald residents for more police.
A group of residents met with Opposition Police Minister Peter Ryan, saying crime was out of control and there needed to be more troops on the ground.
At the time, the Mail reported in our story titled ‘Poll pressure for more cops’, that residents had been calling for more cops and extended station hours in Emerald for more than 11 years.
But Attorney General Rob Hulls has accused the opposition of attempting to ‘dupe’ Victorians with false promises of extra police.
Mr Hulls claims a secret plan to never deliver on additional police had been exposed by his (Baillieu’s) rubbery source of funds.
“Mr Baillieu has never had to worry about where the money is coming from for anything,” Mr Hulls said.
“But Victorians would rightly expect if Mr Baillieu makes a promise to recruit more police, that he can actually pay for them.’’
Mr Hulls said Mr Baillieu’s pledge to fund part of the announcement out of future surpluses was economically reckless and would also result in cuts to construction on schools, hospitals, roads, police stations and jobs.