Bus interchange: Police patrol ‘boost’

ERIN PEARSON
Uniformed police will increase foot patrols of Geelong’s Moorabool Street bus interchanges to crack down on youths intimidating commuters, according to the city’s top cop.
Geelong Police Inspector Gary Thompson said the patrols would combine with the immediate roll-out of a new youth strategy to tackle anti-social behaviour.
The strategy would include liaison officers and Department of Human Services staff talking with youths to develop “resolution strategies”, Insp Thompson said.
“This combined with the increase in foot patrols is a big focus.”
The initiative announcement follows commuters and nearby traders blaming “mall rats” for perceived of problems with the bus interchanges.
Shop staff reported death threats and witnessed attacks on females around the interchanges.
Geelong’s council had announced a review of the interchanges but the traders and commuters identified the behaviour of youths as the main problem.
Insp Thomspon agreed anti-social behaviour in the area had increaseds since the development of the interchanges but declared any issues would be ironed out.
“It’s just the way the area has developed but we’re all on the same page now and hopefully together with (City of Greater Geelong) we can go ahead and fix these problems.”
Mayor John Mitchell said hewas “pleased” more police would patrol the interchanges while council investigated issues affecting the central city area.
“It’s fantastic that Victoria Police has come up and done that. Safety has been one of the big issues,” Cr Mitchell said.
“The police do a fantastic job and put their recourses where they feel it’s needed and they obviously feel that putting their extra recourses at the bus interchange is worthwhile.”
Cr Mitchell said the City wanted people using public transport but acknowledged they had to “feel comfortable getting on and off the bus”.