Eastern Metropolitan MP Edward O’Donohue with Emerald residents, Lynn Hall and Peter Nodin, Liberal candidate for Gembrook Brad Battin, Shadow Minister for Police and Emergency Services Peter Ryan and resident Shireen Fergus, discuss the need for extra police on the beat. 42250Picture: Nigel Clements
By Tania Martin
EMERALD residents have renewed calls for more police and a 24-hour station in the lead up to the November State Government elections.
They say crime is out of control and there need to be more troops on the beat.
Residents last week (28 January) met with Opposition spokesman for Police and Emergency Services Peter Ryan, Liberal candidate for Gembrook Brad Battin and Eastern Metropolitan MP Edward O’Donohue.
Emerald’s Nadia Wildes has been campaigning for extra police and extended station hours for almost 11 years.
It all started in 1999 following a brawl at the town’s community carols celebration.
Ms Wildes said a petition was collected with more than 3147 signalling the need for more police.
At the time the residents were promised an increase to include one sergeant and five officers.
The station now has a sergeant and six officers but resident and bail justice Peter Nodin said this had resulted from an increased area.
He said Emerald’s finest now have to cover Gembrook and Cockatoo.
“We are arguing with the extra population the police now cover there is just not enough staff,” Mr Nodin said.
“It’s (the area) has gone up by nearly two-thirds.”
Ms Wildes said the other issue was that Emerald only had one vehicle to service the area.
Mr Ryan there were two major factors when discussing police shortages.
He said there is the perception that people see it as not working and then there is the actual reality.
Mr Ryan questioned if there had been a change in behaviour in the community.
“It’s massive,” Mr Nodin said.
“Outside of Pakenham, we have one of the highest crime rates going up here.”
Mr Battin said the most common increase was from youths causing trouble.
“Generally it happens after 1am when there are no police around … the mentality set is they know they can commit a crime and wait 45 minutes before the police are here,” he said.
Ms Wildes said youths where doing burnouts at the town’s roundabout just metres from the police station because they know they are not going to get caught.
Mr Ryan said Emerald’s problems were not uncommon.
“The basic problem that afflicts all of Victoria is that we simply do not have enough troops on the ground,” he said.
Mr Ryan said the Opposition would be addressing police shortages as a key policy in the November elections.
The Mail contacted the State Government but was unable to get a response before going to print.
