By Laura Wakely
A COMMUNITY survey has revealed 80 per cent of people identify hoons as the biggest neighbourhood problem in Brimbank.
Drugs (67 per cent), vandalism (56 per cent) and gangs (49 per cent) are also identified as major problems in the Brimbank Police Service Area (PSA) Summary, released exclusively to Star under Freedom of Information.
The results of the survey, which measures community satisfaction with policing between July 2011 and September 2011, also shows only 65 per cent of the community believes Brimbank police to be fair and 64 per cent think Brimbank police are honest.
At home, only 74 per cent of people feel safe at night, while 91 per cent feel safe at home during the day and 39 per cent feel safe walking around Brimbank at night, while 78 per cent feel safe during the day.
In Brimbank, 68 per cent of people are concerned about becoming a victim of burglary, 56 per cent of physical assault, 53 per cent are concerned about their vehicle being stolen, 48 per cent are concerned about becoming victims of fraud and 27 per cent are concerned about terrorism.
Meanwhile, respondents to the survey admitted to being tired (21 per cent), speeding (15 per cent) and talking on the phone (14 per cent) while driving in the past six months.
Brimbank PSA Inspector Mick Grainger said it was “ironic” that people’s biggest concern was hoons, but that they sped anyway.
“I think that’s partly about the society we live in, and the fast pace we live at,” Insp Grainger said.
“Built in to some people, I suppose, is an expectation that police will be tolerant at low speeds, if they’re five or six or 10 kilometres over (the speed limit).
“But in reality that (speed) increases the chances of a vehicle collision.”
He admitted hoons were an issue in Brimbank, with the area having seized more vehicles than any other PSA since the hoon laws began (Brimbank’s hoon problem, 19 October, Star).
Insp Grainger said drugs, on the other hand, were a “significant” issue all around the country.
“Brimbank is no different to anywhere else in Australia, or the world for that matter. Drugs are a scourge,” he said.
He said he was unsurprised people were scared of being physically assaulted, especially due to the high occurrence of family violence in the area.
But he said police were running regular operations around the streets and transport hubs in Brimbank and encouraging people to report any incident in the home to police.
Insp Grainger said summer could lead to a spike in crime, but warned would-be crims that Brimbank police will be patrolling regularly.
