CCTV cameras installed in Rye five years after the death of David Cassai
MORE than five years after the tragic death of David Cassai in a cowardly one-punch attack, 13 new CCTV cameras are operational in Rye.
South East
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MORE than five years after the tragic death of David Cassai in a cowardly one-punch attack, 13 new CCTV cameras are operational along the Rye foreshore.
Calls for the cameras along the foreshore had increased since the 22-year-old was fatally hit in an unprovoked attack in the early hours of December 31, 2012.
David’s mum Caterina Politi, who has been a tireless campaigner for the installation of the cameras in the trouble spot, said it was bittersweet.
“It’s five-and-a-half years too late for David,” she said.
“Prior to the attack on David and his friends there were two unrelated young men assaulted in the foreshore area.
“If these cameras were operating at that time possibly police would have been alerted and these thugs would have been stopped.”
Ms Politi said the live streaming of the footage to Rosebud Police Station would enable police to have a quicker response time to incidents on the foreshore to “help prevent future senseless acts of violence and possibly another death”.
Rosebud Senior Sergeant Kirby Tonkin said the CCTV would be used for live monitoring and by investigators looking at crimes.
“Frankston Council’s CCTV program has been very successful and we expect the same success in this precinct in improving residents feeling of safety and security as well as Victoria Police responding to crime,” he said.
The new cameras were secured with a $200,000 grant from the Federal Government’s Safer Communities Fund.
Flinders federal Liberal MP Greg Hunt joined Ms Politi and Mornington Peninsula Mayor Bryan Payne in Rye last Thursday to see the new system in action.
“The local community in Rye have been lobbying for these cameras for some years and to see them fully operational is an amazing moment for everyone involved,” Mr Hunt said.
“David’s mother Caterina has been a tireless campaigner for the installation of these cameras and she deserves a lot of commendation for this project coming to fruition.”
He said the cameras would provide police with the best tools to combat anti-social behaviour and those who broke the law would be seen and caught.