By NATALIE GALLENTI
CAROLINE Springs residents and local politicians are tired of being neglected and are calling on the State Government to provide greater police presence in the area and complete the much-needed train station.
A petition circulated by Keilor MP Natalie Hutchins, calling for more police officers to be based at Caroline Springs police station and for the station to be opened 24 hours a day and operate seven days a week, has already received hundreds of signatures.
Ms Hutchins said she was “gobsmacked” by the recent announcement that more police officers were being deployed to the neighbouring municipality of Brimbank, while Melton missed out once again.
The Keilor MP said residents had the right to feel safe within their community, and slow police response times were instilling fear in many people.
Referring to a recent incident in Taylors Hill, Ms Hutchins said residents heard gunshots, but had to wait far too long for police to attend the scene – simply because they were coming from Melton or even further away.
“Predominantly, the crimes they are concerned about is drug related. They are very vigilant about reporting crime to Crime Stoppers,” she said.
“But while the population continues to grow at an enormous rate each week, the facilities are not keeping up.”
She sited the incomplete Caroline Springs train station and the need for a hospital as two other major priorities the State Government needed to consider.
Caroline Springs resident Alana Sirianni said more police officers were needed to man the station and patrol the streets.
“Every time, I ring Caroline Springs station, I’m diverted to Melton,” she told Star.
Ms Sirianni said she and neighbours were constantly concerned about the number of motorcyclists riding through residential streets, but each time she calls the police station she was put on hold and transferred to Melton.
“It’s not good enough. If you have to wait a few minutes to be diverted, if it’s a real emergency…well you could be dead in that time.”
She said while people were encouraged to ring triple-zero, many people often wanted to speak to their local officers.
Ms Sirianni said recently a car was dumped in the lake close to the corner of Gourlay and Taylors roads, and it took police at least three days to remove it.
“It just shows me that there are no patrols…it’s frustrating.”
Ms Sirianni also said while she agreed the train station needed to be completed, there needed to be police to man it.
