By Luke Voogt
State Government “inaction” has led to another police car ramming in Geelong this week, according to the Opposition.
Shadow Police Minister Ed O’Donohue slammed the government for last month voting down Opposition legislation to introduce a two-year mandatory minimum sentence for ramming a police car.
“While Daniel Andrews dithers, the men and women of Victoria Police continue to be attacked and put at risk,” he said.
“How many more police need to be attacked and injured before Daniel Andrews does something?”
Earlier this year Police Association secretary Wayne Gatt said offenders who threatened or assaulted police officers should “have plenty of time to reflect on it from a police cell.“
But Police Minister Lisa Neville said the opposition’s legislation for the new offence was poorly drafted.
“Their legislation only covered police vehicles, not police officers themselves or other emergency service workers.”
Ms Neville said the government would introduce more comprehensive legislation to crack down on offenders who harmed police officers or emergency service workers.
The government was working with the Police Association and Victoria Police to get the reforms right, she said.
“We … expect legislation to be introduced into parliament shortly.”
An alleged police car ramming Monday was the latest of several incidents of its kind in Geelong this year.
Three males faced court Wednesday after allegedly ramming a divisional van in North Geelong.
Witnesses saw the two men and one teenager attempting to steal tyres from a Holden ute at the North Geelong train station about 5.30am, police alleged.
When officers arrived at the scene the three men allegedly jumped into a white Toyota Lexcen and the alleged 20-year-old driver reversed into a police van before driving off.
Police initiated a short pursuit but quickly terminated it.
Shortly afterwards, police received reports of a collision between a garbage truck and the same car on Elizabeth Street, Geelong West.
The occupants of the car allegedly fled on foot before police arrived and recovered the car.
Police arrested two men aged 18 and 20, and a boy aged 17 in the vicinity of a car factory on North Shore Road, near Corio Quay Road, about 7am.
The 20-year-old spent time in hospital for minor injuries before facing court, and did not apply for bail Wednesday.
The 17-year-old was granted bail on the condition he report to police three times a week, adhere to random drug screenings and curfew, and not associate with the co-accused.
