Cop boost ‘to miss us’

Kim Waters
GEELONG and the Surf Coast will be “the biggest losers” under a State Government plan to reshuffle police, according to an Upper House MP.
Liberal Member for Western Victoria Region David Koch said the region would miss out on any additional police from the Government’s plan to boost ranks in Victoria.
Mr Koch said 450 new officers graduating from Victoria’s police academy and 266 redeployed from administration roles would all go to front-line activities in Melbourne.
Rising crime rates in Melbourne and the failure of quick responses to calls for help due to limited patrols demonstrated that the region needed more police, he said.
Mr Koch pointed to recent Victoria Police statistics showing a 19.6 per cent increase in drug offences and a 47.3 per cent increase in robbery for the Geelong region.
“It is disappointing that this demonstrated need continues to be ignored,” Mr Koch said.
“The Geelong crime statistics also show an alarming trend that the Brumby Government continues to ignore and fails to address.
“It is well-known and expressed by local police management that only more front-line police will overcome the prevalence of crime related behaviour. Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula and the Surf Coast are no exceptions.”
Mr Koch said police were in such supply on the Surf Coast that the Torquay station was closed “more often than it is open”.
“Policing along the Surf Coast is compromised and the Labor Government refuses to address that need.”
A State Government spokesperson hit back at Mr Koch, saying a police recruitment campaign underway had attracted an extra 1966 officers to the force.
“Unlike the Liberal party, we support the efforts of local police with more resources and tougher laws,” the spokesperson said.
“That work has seen a 28 per cent drop in crime since 2000/2001 across Geelong and an increase of more than 18 per cent in police numbers.”