By Luke Voogt
Police numbers have decreased in Geelong during the past year despite the Andrews government spruiking state-wide increases, an Indy investigation has revealed.
The paper this week obtained data showing that greater Geelong had 196.79 full-time-equivalent (FTE) police in September 2016, down from 198.32 at the same time in 2015.
The Geelong figures contrast with a State Government announcement late last month of a 155 state-wide increase since June 2015.
The decrease in Geelong police staffing coincided with a crime surge in the city during the past year.
The 30 September Indy reported a 20 per cent increase in Geelong’s overall crime, including a 37 per cent rise in theft and burglary.
Police Minister and Bellarine MP Lisa Neville promised Geelong would receive its share of 406 new frontline officers that the government funded this year.
“These officers are being fast-tracked through the Victoria Police Academy, so they’re sworn in ahead of schedule and out in the community sooner,” she said.
“Geelong will continue to receive additional resources as our new officers are recruited and trained.”
But Ms Neville said Geelong police numbers were actually up on 2014.
The Andrews government’s first budget “funded” 15 additional police for Geelong, with 20 arriving since the 2014 election, she said.
Police statistics obtained under Freedom of Information show that FTE numbers increased by 13 on November 2014.
The Government had also funded 17 new police custody officers for Geelong, which had “freed up hundreds of police shifts”, Ms Neville said.
Shadow minister Edward O’Donohue said Geelong was in a police staffing crisis.
“Lisa Neville promised much before the election but has failed.”
Police numbers had increased state-wide but had decreased per capita, Mr O’Donohue said.
“Ms Neville and Daniel Andrews have been asleep at the wheel while a crime tsunami has engulfed our state.”
Earlier this year Geelong Superintendent Craig Gillard said the new custody officers were making a significant difference.
They freed up detectives and officers, allowing Geelong Police Station to create a new high-volume crime team, he said.
Supt Gillard welcomed any extra police commitments.
“Give us more police and we’ll detect more crimes and arrest more people.”
The police employee data showed three additional officers on the Surf Coast between September 2015 and 2016.
