Staffing “unchanged” in 24hr police station

Hamish Heard
Torquay police were yesterday busy packing boxes in readiness for a move to their brand new state-of-the-art Surf Coast Highway headquarters next week.
But police services in the town will remain unchanged following the move despite the facility’s price tag of more than $5 million and a State Government promise of a “24-hour police station”.
The new station will operate under existing times of 8am to midnight except during peak periods of Christmas, Easter and Schoolies Week when it will remain open through the night.
A police source said “generally one or two” officers were rostered on in the town during the day, “except when someone is on holiday or (station command) can’t find someone to fill a shift”.
Senior Constable Danny Hutchinson said the station opening would not include an immediate increase in police coverage of Torquay.
“We will still maintain the same police coverage we do now but that’s likely to change when there is an increase in staff in the future,” Sen Const Hutchinson said.
“Going from being in a side street around the corner to being on a main road where everyone knows where we are will make us a lot busier.”
Sen Const Hutchinson urged residents to note that the phone number for Torquay Police would change to 5264 3400 after the move.
The Independent was unable to gain comment from Divisional Superintendent Andrew Allen about when command would assign more resources to Torquay.