Police resources so thinly stretched that frontline officers may not receive helicopter back-up

Young offenders are getting away with high-speed pursuits because police resources are so thinly stretched. As one officer puts it “the kids know we are powerless to do anything”.

Police resources are so thinly stretched that frontline officers have been told they may not receive helicopter back-up in dangerous pursuits with young criminals unless it is “a matter of life and death”.

Several police sources have told the Herald Sun that the force has almost drained the number of hours the air wing can be deployed this month.

As a result, high-risk young offenders have escaped car chases in stolen vehicles at extremely high speeds without being arrested.

Officers have reported that teenage criminals have gone on to commit further violent crimes after being pursued by officers because requests to use the air wing have been knocked back to prioritise more urgent jobs, such as rescues.

Footage of a teen car chase taken from a Victoria Police helictoper.

Veteran members say a “manic” spate of robberies and car chases involving teenage criminals requiring helicopter back-up across the city each night in recent weeks had forced crews to clamp down on when the resource can be used.

“It’s the first time we’ve actually been told there is no money left in the air wing budget to proactively patrol or come out to chase stolen cars unless you’ve been following it for a certain amount of time and it’s involved in high-impact offending,” one senior officer with more than two decades’ experience told the Herald Sun.

“They (kids) know that we are powerless to do anything. If we can’t get the air wing, we’re completely hamstrung. How do we stop them?”

On Friday night, a gang of teens in stolen cars evaded police on the Mornington Peninsula, but the chase was too dangerous for officers to track them down in police cars.

Requests for the air wing were denied, and several hours later the same group held up a Rowville convenience store, where one young offender placed his hand over a woman’s mouth while others jumped the counter and stole cash.

Officers can request air assistance if they have been following an offender for at least 20 minutes.

Members say it is one of the force’s best measures for catching crooks, because high-speed chases are banned unless an offender poses an immediate risk to the community or they have committed crimes involving serious injury.

The veteran officer said the worst young criminals often taunted police during street chases by changing speed before taking off, often in fast, high-end cars stolen in aggravated burglaries.

“I’ve never seen anything like this in the amount of time I’ve been policing,” she said.

“These kids have no regard for my life, their life, or any of the community’s life. I’m just waiting there for another serious accident.

“They say: What are you going to do? Arrest me? Do it, I’ll just get bail. We don’t give a f--k.”

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said while the force had other methods at their disposal, the air wing still needed to prioritise jobs by their risk and resources available.

“This has always been the case and is no different to previous months,” she said.

“We also have police on the road and a range of specialist units available day and night.

“We recognise the impact of high harm crimes and are committed to arresting offenders and continue to have investigative resources dedicated to solving these crimes.”

A government spokesperson said a record $4.5bn had been provided to fund policing as well as 3600 new recruits.

She said strengthening bail laws would also help deter young offenders.

“We understand that this appalling behaviour causes a lot of concern in the community,” she said.

“Our strengthened bail laws, which came into effect earlier this month, address serous repeat offending and ensure young people are held to account.”

Police Association Secretary Wayne Gatt said recent aerial support shortages were fuelled by “incredibly intense” criminal activity.

“Our members are involved in high speed pursuits across the state multiple times a shift,” he said.

“Victoria Police should never be without aerial support. It is a fundamental resolution strategy that all of our members rely on for so many situations.”

High-speed crashes with youths behind the wheel have had fatal consequences this year. A 17-year-old boy was behind the wheel of a stolen Jeep when it ploughed into 28-year-old Ashburton man William Taylor in Burwood in July.

Two teenagers were allegedly driving a stolen BMW when they hit 19-year-old ­Davide Pollina in Melbourne’s north in August.

It comes after damning new crime figures revealed aggravated burglaries were at an all-time high, while children aged between 10 and 17 were offending at their highest rate in more than a decade.

Originally published as Police resources so thinly stretched that frontline officers may not receive helicopter back-up