By Ann Marie Angebrandt
THE Labor Party has promised to honour a commitment to build a second police station in Wyndham North by 2008 and to nearly double the number of officers in Wyndham.
The promise comes more than 18 months after Police Minister Tim Holding first announced the $6.5 million station, and despite no land having been purchased for the project.
Original plans for the complex to include other government services, including a new court house, will be scuttled.
The new station is expected to house up to 36 uniformed police, including the area’s local traffic management unit, and special officers to handle youth and family violence problems.
Construction is expected to start early next year.
But the Liberal Party has scoffed at the announcement.
Opposition police spokesman Kim Wells said: “We’ve heard it all before, this is an announcement of convenience.”
The Liberals have promised a $1.2 million upgrade to the 18-year-old police station on Princes Freeway.
“It’s in a shocking state and any funding should go toward fixing up the disgraceful working conditions of our present hard-working police officers,” he said.
Mr Wells said the station’s airconditioning did not work properly, the doors were rotting, and buckets had to be used for the leaking roof when it rained.
“Labor has taken the West for granted for too long and the community deserves better,” he said.
Mark Rose, the Liberal candidate for Tarneit and a Werribee policeman himself, said officers were reluctant to work at the station because of its crowded and deteriorating conditions.
“Who would want to come here?” he asked.
Werribee Police Inspector Shane Dowling said that in addition to the extra police, the new station would also house another divisional van and patrol vehicle per shift. Wyndham now has 48 police, with one divisional van and one patrol vehicle each shift.
Continued on Page 3.
From Page 1.
“We’ll virtually double our capability 24/7,” Insp Dowling said.
The right location would need to be strategically located, close to public transport.
“There’s so much land up there it shouldn’t be a problem finding the right spot,” he said.
Insp Dowling said the “whole of government” complex had been shelved “because of the urgency for a higher visible police presence in Wyndham”.
Lori McLean, a community activist who helped gather nearly 10,000 names for a petition calling for more local police, said she was sceptical about the announcement.
“We’ve heard it all before, it’s empty promises and nothing more than a mirage in the distance,” she said.
City of Wyndham mayor Shane Bourke last month demanded that at least 30 more police be added to the city to keep up with the area’s booming population.
