Crime rate in town 'too low' for 24-hour policing

The hot topic in Woolgoolga this morning was the plan to create a petition for a 24-hour police presence in the village.

COFFEE WITH A COP: Snr Sgt Michael Jones, Insp Brendan Gorman and Snr Const Daniel Dunn chat to locals in Woolgoolga. Picture: Jasmine Minhas

IN the relaxed atmosphere of popular beachside cafe Bluebottles Brasserie, the hot topic in Woolgoolga was the plan to create a petition for a 24-hour police presence in the village.

The idea was put forward to officers from the Coffs/Clarence Police District as part of initiative Coffee with a Cop, which aims to strengthen the relationship between police and the public.

Officers shouted coffee to locals to give them a chance to have a chat and ask any questions.

It created a buzz on social media when Woolgoolga resident Leah Sjoberg made a post asking fellow locals to sign the petition to ensure the police station in Woolgoolga would always be manned at the event on Tuesday morning.

However, Inspector Brendan Gorman said it would not be possible to increase police numbers at this time due to the village's low crime statistics.

"The crime statistics in Woolgoolga don't support a 24-hour police presence in the area,” he said.

"I encourage people to report crime. What happens in a country town like Woolgoolga is that people fix things themselves and don't bother calling us. My suggestion is if locals report crime, the crime statistics may change.

"We're not omnipresent, we cannot be everywhere all the time, but we will respond if you report crime. It may take time, but we always do.”

However, Insp Gorman did not rule out the possibility of 24-hour policing in the future.

"There are housing developments under way, like Hearnes Lake and Safety Beach, so in time there will be a need for more police,” he said.

"People are lucky to live in a beautiful place like Woolgoolga. I live up this way and I think it's a very safe place.”

Overall, Insp Gorman said mental health, drugs, alcohol-related violence and domestic violence were the causes behind most crimes on the Coffs Coast.

He added police were still having problems with locals leaving their cars and houses unlocked, which was the main contributor to high property crime rates across the coast.