Police are safe

By Tania Martin
SENIOR police and the State Government have denied claims the hills are set to lose two officers from the beat.
Shire of Yarra Ranges Chandler Ward councillor Graham Warren last Tuesday (14 July) told council a source had alerted him to the move.
He said the region was set to lose three officers, two from Belgrave and one from Mooroolbark.
“I was told they would be moved into the city for a new task force,” he said.
“That’s fine but that leaves us even more undermanned than before … I was flabbergasted.”
But Yarra Ranges District Inspector Andrew Humberstone said the police would not be moved.
The speculation came just weeks after the council asked Police Commissioner Simon Overland for more officers in the shire.
Cr Warren said it was disappointing to see senior officials denying the need for extra police when it was clearly a problem.
“It’s in the forefront of the minds of all our residents and they are all really desperate to see something happen,” he said.
Cr Warren said it was amazing the Police Association noted a 26-officer shortage in the shire but senior police failed to ack-nowledge the problem.
But Monbulk MP James Merlino denied there was a move to take police from Belgrave.
Mr Merlino said the Shire of Yarra Ranges police service area – which takes in Belgrave and Monbulk – had seen no decline in police.
Cr Warren said he was reluctant to bring the issue up again in fear that this was a direct response to the media pressure.
“Who knows, they might start bulldozing police stations next,” he said.
Police Association secretary Senior Sergeant Greg Davies said the move would be an ‘outrage’.
“It would be all the more reprehensible if our members were forcibly removed out of Yarra Ranges as a consequence of concerns being aired about a lack of police resources in the area,” he said.
Sen Sgt Davies said removing officers would further reduce their ability to deliver a high standard of policing.
“This not only impacts on the health and functionality of police officers in the area, but a flow-on affect is felt on the community they serve,” he said.
Sen Sgt Davies said if Cr Warren’s fears rang true, it would only instil more fear within the community.
“Council should not be made to feel timorous for standing up for a safer community,” he said.