By Alesha Capone
BREAKING down barriers between police and young people is one of the biggest challenges Senior Constable Jodie Ebinger faces every day.
But the new Footscray-based police youth resource officer, who has been in the position for about six weeks, said this was the reason she took on the job.
As a police officer of five years, Sen Const Ebinger worked in general crime at stations throughout Sunshine, Williamstown and Melbourne before coming to Footscray.
“I noticed when I was charging kids, when you process a lot of the young kids we were dealing with, they came from broken families, or with drug or alcohol issues in their families,” Sen Const Ebinger said.
She worked in a diversion program with some of the Brimbank area’s worst violent offenders in 2007, and found a common theme was many had no family support or role-models.
“When you see things like that your hands are fairly tied because you’re just working in crime and that’s it,” Sen Const Ebinger said.
“I wanted more job satisfaction by doing something more pro-active, where you have scope to work with people before they get into trouble.”
As the youth resource officer, Sen Const Ebinger helps organise sports matches and arts projects for young people and police, gives talks at schools and works with other youth agencies to help keep young people away from a criminal lifestyle.
“Statistics show us people are offending much younger now, even between 10 and 14 years old. But statistics show if you can turn people away from the criminal justice system early, they are less likely to re-offend as they get older,” Sen Const Ebinger said.
“If you can get in early, it can save a lot of pain further down the track.”
Sen Const Ebinger said she was focussed on reducing road trauma, repeat offending, violence and anti-social behaviour and diversion programs.
“I meet young people all the time. They get surprised when they realise, ‘Oh, police are just people.’ We get that a lot,” she said.
She encouraged young people and their families to visit her and have a chat at the Footscray Police Station office at the Footscray Market in Irving St.
