West Esplanade Reserve: Drug crime spirals out of control in St Albans
Crime is out of control in this northwest suburb, which has won the unenviable title of Brimbank’s worst drug hotspot. It’s got to the point where one woman believes police are too scared to get out of their car.
West
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A public park in Melbourne’s northwest has become such a hotbed for drug activity that terrified families are too scared to visit.
New police figures reveal more than 333 drug related offences were detected by police in St Albans in the past financial year.
Matthew, who declined to provide his real name out of fears for his safety, said junkies and drug dealers were regulars in the area.
But he said things had reached boiling point at West Esplanade Reserve in St Albans, which he said had become a hub for dealers and drug users.
“You’ve got dealers in the street, there’s squatters in the houses,” Matthew said.
“They go to the dealer’s house and just go to the parks and shoot up or one of the squatting houses.
“Who’s going to take their kids there when they see syringes lying on the ground? … I don’t think I’d let me niece or nephew play in the long grass.
“The council just comes and cleans the bins, but they don’t look for syringes.”
Stacey told the Leader she refused to walk through the park at night while house burglaries and domestic violence were sadly common across the suburb.
“There should be more of a police presence, it’s almost like the police are scared to go out on foot,” Stacey said.
“You hear a noise and you go and have a sticky beak and you end up witnessing stuff that you probably shouldn’t.”
Crime Statistics Agency data shows most of the drug offending in the area related to dealing and trafficking or use and possession.
St Albans was Brimbank’s worst drug hotspot, outstripping every other suburb for drugs.
Brimbank Acting Superintendent Dallas Normington said police regularly patrolled the park and the wider St Albans area.
“Between our general duties resourcing, eyes in the sky through Air Wing helicopter and nose to the ground capacity of the dog squad, police in Brimbank are extremely well equipped to prevent crime and arrest offenders,” Supt Normington said.
Neil Whiteside, Brimbank Council director of infrastructure and city services, said cleaners regularly checked the park for discarded syringes.
“Council provides a same-day response service for collection of discarded syringes, where there is an immediate and unacceptable risk to the public,” Mr Whiteside said.
He encouraged anyone who spotted a syringe on the ground to call the council on 9249 4000 or make an online report.
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