By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
TRAFFIC concerns and monkey bike legislation was on the tip of everyone’s tongues at Cranbourne Park’s Coffee with a Cop morning tea, where residents had the chance to ask police officers their burning questions.
Cranbourne Sergeant Carolyn Hill met with dozens of Cranbourne locals on Wednesday 24 February, where she talked about crime prevention strategies and answered the questions that don’t get asked over the phone.
“Community engagement is the main reason for Coffee with a Cop and it’s for people who don’t ring police, because they know we are busy,” Sgt Hill said.
“The Coffee with a Cop environment isn’t intimidating and they can take the time to ask us questions about the law, without feeling like they are wasting our time.”
Sgt Hill said many passers-by stopped to thank police for the work they do and others sat down for a coffee at Cranbourne Park, which sponsored the morning tea.
“We had a great response from the public, and a lot of their questions were about legislation around monkey bikes,” Sgt Hill said.
Currently monkey bike users must hold a motorcycle licence to be able to ride the notorious motor bikes.
And Sgt Hill said she explained to at least four people that monkey bikes can legally be driven on privately-owned property with the consent of the landowner.
“Riding monkey bikes in public reserves could be a breach of council by-laws, it depends on who owns the land,” she said.
A Cranbourne police officer for the past five years, Sgt Hill said it was fitting with all the road works currently on in Cranbourne that the public’s questions all related to traffic laws.
“No-one asked about home invasions, but we did have a question about speeding through work zones,” she said.
“One road worker felt people were continuously speeding through the new, slower, speed limits and depending on what speed they are travelling at normal road rules apply to those zones.”
Sgt Hill encourages Cranbourne home owners to keep their doors locked and car keys out of sight after a recent spate of home invasions targeting cars and personal items.
“Don’t leave car keys on hooks or on the kitchen table,” she said.
To ask a Casey police officer a question, visit the Casey Eyewatch Facebook page.
A second Coffee with a Cop morning tea is set for Cranbourne and will be advertised on the Casey Eyewatch Facebook page in the coming weeks.
