Casey’s blue heelers to gain more bite

By Rebecca Fraser
CASEY and Cardinia were big winners this week when it was revealed that 22 new police officers would move to the frontline by July.
The move also followed the deployment of 10 new officers and a sergeant at the Endeavour Hills station last month, which led to the station being opened 24 hours a day.
Under the new staffing model, police will be assigned to stations in Narre Warren and Pakenham by mid-year, creating an increased police presence in both municipalities.
Last year, it was also announced that Cranbourne Police would receive more members when their new station opens later this year.
Nicole McKechnie, a spokeswoman for Victoria Police, confirmed that 33 new officers had been assigned to the Casey and Cardinia region, but said 11 had already started work at the Endeavour Hills station.
She could not reveal more detailed figures on where officers were going but said the new staffing model ensured that officers would be where they were most needed.
She said a whole range of socio-economic and demographic factors were taken into consideration when determining staff needs.
“Where police are allocated will be based on different factors such as the demographic and age groups in the area, the crime rate and population growth,” she said.
Other factors, such as road and traffic types and other infrastructure such as the number of schools, hospitals and hotels in the area, will also play a role.
Region 5 Acting Superintendent Tom Rawlings welcomed the news this week and said the State Government had committed an additional 600 officers in their latest term in government, and new members were progressively flowing into Casey and Cardinia.
“The arrival of new staff will lift police presence on the frontline,” he said.
The increased police presence follows a long Police Association and public campaign about staff shortages in Narre Warren and Pakenham.
Senior Sergeant Trevor Teer, of Pakenham Police, said the station had been allocated 15 new members, senior constables and constables, with the last arriving in the next month.
“People in Cardinia will see a lot more police in the area now and it has finally been acknowledged that this is a growing area and that police are needed,” Sen Sgt Teer said.
“We will actually be able to do some real policing and will be available to help out places like Bunyip and Emerald.”
The Liberal Party has also welcomed plans to implement the new staffing model.
Shadow spokesperson for Police and Emergency Services, Kim Wells, said the plan to introduce a more effective and efficient police resource allocation model was long overdue.
But Mr Wells said this new plan alone would not solve the problem of frontline police shortages right across Victoria.
A spokesperson for Police Minister, Tim Holding, said all policing matters were entirely the business of Victoria Police, not the minister or the government.
“We have recruited 1400 police and ensured there are resources for Victoria Police to recruit and now it is up to them to finalise their resource allocation model,” he said.