By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Councillors launch counter attack over plans to close station…
Casey councillors are outraged over a trial closure of Endeavour Hills police station’s front counter on weekend nights.
Once touted as a 24/7 police station, the station will be closed to the public at 5pm rather than 11pm on weekends, but police patrols on those nights will be increased.
Councillor Louise Berkelmans, who heads the council’s community safety committee, said the “desperate” move showed that police resources were stretched thin in Casey.
“They are so desperate to get more police on the streets in Casey. They’ve got to the point they have not got a choice.”
Councillor Rafal Kaplon said: “How much can you continually rejig existing resources?”
He said the council had repeatedly lobbied for the State Government to increase police numbers due to crime rates soaring by 19 per cent in the past year.
According to Crime Statistics Agency figures, crime rose in Endeavour Hills in 2015-’16 by 45 per cent, Doveton by 22 per cent and Hallam by 11 per cent.
Full-time equivalent police positions stationed in Casey are two less than in November 2014 – when the State Government took office.
Police said a review found low numbers of public attendances and phone calls to Endeavour Hills station, particularly on weekends.
Police Minister Lisa Neville said the trial was about getting “more police on the road” to respond to calls and proactively prevent crime.
“The trial will see additional police patrolling on weekends for longer, not less.
“As the Chief Commissioner has clearly stated, he’d rather see police working out in the community instead of filling out paperwork behind a counter.”
Acting Senior Sergeant Carolyn Hill, of Endeavour Hills police, said most people who attended the station required documents to be signed.
“There’s still a counter service available to sign documents on weekdays and weekend days, as well as (on weekend nights) at Dandenong and Narre Warren stations.
“The whole community is getting a better service with that extra police resource on the road.”
Opposition police spokesman Edward O’Donohue said Victorians were “rightly concerned” by the “out of control” spate of carjackings, home invasions, drive-by shootings and gang violence, he said.
“When will Daniel Andrews acknowledge there is a frontline police numbers crisis in Casey and across Victoria before further stations have to close or have their opening hours cut?”
The station’s weekday public opening hours of 7am to 11pm are unchanged.
During times when the station’s counter is closed, phone calls will be diverted to Narre Warren police station’s 24-hour counter service.
For urgent police assistance, the public is advised to call triple zero.
Police say the trial will be evaluated at the end of the year.
