By ALESHA CAPONE
POLICE, Brimbank City Council staff and Sherriff’s officers have announced they will step up joint operations across Sunshine’s CBD in response to anti-social behaviour and non-payment of fines.
Last week Brimbank police Inspector Chris Gilbert said efforts would be intensified especially around Clarke St and Sun Crescent.
He said a recent joint operation in Sunshine detected 16 people with more than 150 outstanding warrants worth more than $71,000.
Sergeant Murray Trudel from the Brimbank Safer Communities Taskforce said that since August police have been undertaking extra high-visible patrols in Sunshine’s main streets which has led to a drop in crime.
“The crime figures we have had since August have been tremendous – we’ve had some really good results,” he said.
“Our main focus is for people on the streets in Sunshine to feel safe – if you see people misbehaving and drinking in the streets, you don’t feel safe.
“The other target we’re reducing is crimes against the person – so robbery, assaults.”
Sgt Trudel said Sunshine traders and residents would see even greater impact in the coming 12 months.
“We know it’s not an overnight fix and this is going to be a sustained effort,” he said.
President of the Sunshine Business Association (SBA) Bruce White said around August last year he wrote a letter to police voicing concerns about anti-social behaviour within the Sunshine CBD’s southern precinct.
Mr White said in response, police efforts – such as increased foot patrols – have been “fantastic”.
Mr White said he believed the construction of the Regional Rail Link project had possibly displaced some people, who traditionally gathered at train stations closer to the city – such as Footscray – into Sunshine.
But Mr White said Sunshine’s traders, along with government groups and philanthropic organisations, wanted to help out these groups – hopefully during the next two to three months.
“We’re bringing together group of people in service area so that we can work around their social issues and get them some assistance,” he said.
“It’s not just about issuing fines, it’s about social issues, educational issues and all these things in the mix to find a solution.”
