Urge for more 24/7 police stations in the Bass Coast
Crime has increased in the Bass Coast over the past two years, but calls for more than one 24-hour station in the region continue to fall on deaf ears. And with police up to 30 minutes away in the middle of the night, some residents say they feel unsafe in the area.
Bass Coast News
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Residents in Bass Coast and surrounding towns have been campaigning for years to open more 24-hour police stations and now with crime on the rise, they say it’s urgently needed.
According to Crime Statistics Agency, criminal incidents in the Bass Coast increased in both 2019 and 2020.
The Bass Coast saw a 2.7 per cent increase in 2020 and a 10.2 per cent increase in 2019.
Wonthaggi resident Shakira Pretty said more police stations needed to be open for longer periods, and with more staff.
“There isn’t enough on duty in Wonthaggi to deal with all the other townships that need officers and the wait for them to turn up when you call is ridiculous,” she said.
There are currently four police stations in the Bass Coast including Cowes, San Remo, Inverloch and Wonthaggi, however only Wonthaggi is opened for 24 hours.
Holiday-maker Sarah Wilson said she has been visiting Phillip Island for more than five years and has felt unsafe in recent years due to the lack of 24-hour police stations.
“It’s scary knowing it could take the police over 30 minutes to get to you from Wonthaggi,” she said.
“I think the area would greatly benefit from more than one 24-hour police station”.
Veronica Jamison started an online petition in 2019, calling on the state government to have continuous police presence available in Inverloch.
“Crime is on the increase in Inverloch,” she said.
“Recently our local bakery was robbed, the town graffitied, cars vandalised, goods stolen and houses robbed to name but a few incidents.
“It’s time the Victorian State Government provided funding for the Inverloch Police Station to be manned on a 24/7 basis.”
She received 200 signatures for the petition but one year on, Inverloch Police Station is still only opened for 16 hours.
A Police Association spokesman told the Bass Coast News that “every member of the community is entitled to a 24-hour police response and the current model of policing in Victoria provides for that”.
“Victoria Police has advised us that it is currently undertaking a review of its service delivery model and we expect a significant part of that work will be assessing current processes that determine how policing services are provided,” they said.
State Member for Bass Jordan Crugnale MP said the specific allocation of police and counter service opening hours is a matter decided by the Chief Commissioner who is responsible for identifying the state’s highest priorities and allocating resources accordingly.
“The latest statistics saw an increase of reported crime in Wonthaggi and North Wonthaggi where the police station is open 24 hours a day,” Ms Crugnale said.
“It was however, pleasing to see a decrease in crime reported in other areas of the Bass Coast region such as Cowes and Inverloch”.
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