Corio cops blast move

Erin Pearson
RESIDENTS will suffer under a Victoria Police plan to transfer Corio’s Criminal Investigation Unit to the Geelong station, officers have revealed.
A Corio detective, who wanted to remain anonymous, said crime-fighting services would “deteriorate” after the move on Monday.
Officers feared the department would “lose touch” with crime trends in the Corio area after the departure of the unit’s nine members, the detective said.
“We fear that when officers are in Geelong, Corio will be out of mind, out of sight,” he said.
“Within 12 months the impact on the area will be significant.”
The detective said command had only recently informed Corio officers they were moving to Geelong after months of speculation.
“We have tried tirelessly to fight it,” he said.
“Due to Corio being a general commission and low social economic area it has a highly concentrated number people committing criminal offences and we know we need to be out here.”
The detective believed the unit would lose key informants in the move.
“Because we have dealt with these people before they just come (into the station) to talk to us.
“These are people who only speak to local people who they trust and they greatly assist us in the solving of crimes. They won’t travel into Geelong to talk to us and a lot of local relationships like that will go.
“It will let the community down to move.”
The detective said command had not explained why the unit had to move.
Geelong Police CIU Senior Sergeant Rod Lloyd confirmed the merger, saying it would improve the efficiency of coordination between the “strategic crime units”.
The merged units would be known as Geelong Crime Investigate Unit,” Snr Sgt Lloyd said.
Ongoing upgrades to the Geelong station would allow the building to accommodate 22 detectives and 40 crime department officers, he said.
“I think it will be a great move and allow us to share knowledge in relation to criminal elements that operate Geelong and surrounds and Corio and surrounds and make for easier communication between all the units.
“It doesn’t mean the public of Corio will receive any less service.”
Sen Sgt Lloyd said the detectives, crime scene officers, fingerprint experts and tasking and public order units would be located together.
A Regional Response Unit would relocate to the Corio station, he said.