Assistant Commissioner Steve Fontana is confident 13 new members will help crack down on crime in Brimbank. 71123 Picture: JOE MASTROIANNI
By Laura Wakely
THIRTEEN has become an unlucky number for crims after Victoria Police announced new police numbers for Brimbank.
The boost is part of the 125 police recruits who will be on the job by December this year across the state, although no area is receiving as high a number as Brimbank.
Steve Fontana, Assistant Commissioner North Western Metropolitan Region, said crime had been on the rise in Brimbank.
The most recent statistics from Victoria Police show a 10 per cent increase in the past year.
“We know there’s public concerns about their safety and that’s where we’re putting the numbers – where they’re most needed,” Mr Fontana said.
Mr Fontana admitted Sunshine and Keilor Downs police had been “really stretched” and were “always pretty busy stations”.
“It (increasing police numbers) is an issue for us, but we’ll get there,” Mr Fontana said.
“We’re just happy to have this growth.”
A total of 53 new officers will start work across the West and North.
Mr Fontana said police would also be bolstered by operational support units to target problem crimes, which could bring as many as 20 additional police into the area at any one time.
Brimbank Acting Local Area Commander Paul Allison said Brimbank police had the lowest number of unplanned leaves and absences in Victoria.
“That gives you an indication as to the commitment of our members, their readiness and their confidence to do the job,” Cdr Allison said.
He said the 13 new recruits would be inducted into that working culture and be allocated to “where the works need to be done”.
“It’s not so much a matter of
how many police need to be at
a police station at a particular
stage.”
Cdr Allison said he was “absolutely” confident the numbers would have an impact on crime, but he said the community needed to do their part as well.
“If something you don’t think is quite right or you see a car or someone doing something that you’re suspicious about, call it in. That’s what we’re there for.”
