By NATALIE GALLENTI
LOCAL crime rates could increase further if Victoria Police crews continue to be forced off the frontline to guard prisoners, according to Kororoit MP Marlene Kairouz.
Ms Kairouz said this was a state-wide crisis caused by the Government’s failure to tackle crime, for cutting $100 million from the Victoria Police budget and sacking 400 police staff.
Ms Kairouz said senior police estimated 500 police state-wide were being used daily to babysit prisoners in overcrowded police station cells.
“Now, we have the ludicrous situation of Division 3 – LGA – Melton frontline police officers babysitting prisoners in police cells and senior Victoria Police members raising concerns that riots could ensue,” Ms Kairouz said.
“Taking police officers off the beat to babysit prisoners will not stop crime let alone reduce crime rates,” she said.
Ms Kairouz said the government needed to explain to Kororoit residents why it had failed to reduce crime in the last three years and why it had failed to ensure police had the resources to tackle and reduce crime.
She also called on the government to explain why local police officers have been handed the task of babysitting prisoners instead of catching criminals.
Victoria Police statistics reveal increases in robbery (22.2 per cent), deception (93.4 per cent) and drug cultivation, manufacture and trafficking (29.8 per cent) in the past year.
