The Local Paper. Whittlesea Meeting. Preview - September 20, 2017

The Local Paper - Wednesday, September 20, 2017 - Page 7

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Special Report

LOUD AND CLEAR

● The largest public meeting in Whittlesea since the Black Saturday fires was held at the Activity Centre in Laurel St last Wednesday night.

Whittlesea says: ‘Staff Our Station’ Ma Mayyor Kirkham wins applause

● City of Whittlesea Mayor, Cr Ricky Kirkham ■ “We actually need more police in the Whittlesea township,” said Cr Ricky Kirkham, to applause at the public meeting.

Population levels in the City of Whittlesea were increasing by up to 10,000 annually, and were currently 215,000.

The State Government needed to commit to current staffing levels at Whittlesea.

The community needed to use the Triple Zero service when Police were needed.

The Council would assist the local fight for greater policing ... “otherwise we will be marching to Parliament to demand it”. ● Police response times are not recorded in Victoria, said Sgt Gatt. ● One Kinglake resident asked if a return to the Black Saturday theme ‘You Loot, We Shoot’ was needed. ● ‘I’ve rarely seen the type of numbers that I see here today,’ said Police Association Secretary Wayne Gatt.

■ A crowd of about 400 people has sent a clear message to the State Labor Government about Whittlesea Police staff levels.

The meeting, held on Wednesday night (Sep. 13) at the Whittlesea Activity Centre, determined to continue pressure on the Andrews Government to maintain or increase staff levels at the Church St station.

Superintendent Mick Sheehan pledged to deliver a clear message back to Police Command that the public wanted more local officers, that there was a lack of confidence, that people felt unsafe, and that the community was looking for more.

Whittlesea Police Station has 15 gazetted staff numbers, but actual member levels were as low as six, the meeting was told.

Meeting Chairman, Pastor Steve Lepp, said these were the same levels set in 1990, when the township was much smaller.

Cr Ricky Kirkham, Mayor of the City of Whittlesea, said local people felt unsafe in their own homes, and many were touched by crime.

He said the meeting was the biggest in Whittlesea since the Black Saturday fires in 2009.

Sen. Sgt. Glenn Parker, Officerin-Charge of Whittlesea Police Station, and his staff (many who attended in plain clothes), received a strong round of applause for their efforts in the community.

Sgt. Wayne Gatt, Secretary of the Police Association, said pressure on the Police Executive, had resulted in two vacant positions becoming available again.

Other police to attend the meeting were Inspector Andrew Falconer, Sen. Sgt. Wayne Cully and Sgt. Jason Gatt.

Apologies for inability to attend were received from Police Minister Lisa Neville, Labor MLC Jacqueline Symes and Cr Emilia Sterjova.

Clear warning to YYan an YYean ean MP

● Newsagent Robyn Ritchie talks about crime in Whittlesea

● Danielle Green, MLA for Yan Yean (Labor) ■ State Member Danielle Green received disapproval from Wednesday’s public meeting when she took a political approach to questions.

She criticised Mayor Cr Ricky Kirkham and Liberal MLC Wendy Lovell.

Chairman Ps. Shane Legg had opened the meeting, saying that it was not to be about politics, or a criticism of the new Police Station at Mernda.

Ms Green listed the Mernda station as one of her achievements whilst in Parliament.

“We’re Whittlesea, not Mernda,” said one resident.

“We’re not interested in Mernda,” said another.

“Mernda, Mernda, Mernda, That’s all we’re hearing from you,” said a third.

Another resident criticised Ms Green for being late arriving at the meeting. She had been at a longstanding engagement at Kilmore.

Ms Green said that 400 people at a meeting was the best weapon she had at her disposal to make the point to other politicians that Whittlesea did not wish to see staffing levels diminished.

Page 8 - The Local Paper - Wednesday, September 20, 2017

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Special Report

● Cr Mary Lalios of Whittlesea City Council at the meeting ● From Page 7 ■ Pastor Shane Lepp, chairman, opened the meeting, saying that the gazetted numbers for Whittlesea Police Station since 1990 were one Senior-Sergeant, one Sergeant, and 12 officers.

Today’s true level of staffing was one Senior-Sergeant, two Sergeants, eight officers (with four positions vacant), and a further two officers on Workcover leave.

Until last week, the four vacant positions were not advertised. The Police Station was being manned by six officers, rather than 12.

Officers on annual leave and sick leave were not being replaced. One officer was often on compulsory secondment to the Family Violence Unit, Ps Lepp said.

Newsagent Robyn Ritchie said criminals’ knowledge of a lack of local Police presence had led to more risk. One business in Walnut St had installed roller shutters after five break-in attempts.

Ms Ritchie said drug deals had taken place outside the Whittlesea Police Station in Church St when it was unmanned.

True crime statistics were not being recorded, because only those offences phoned through to Triple Zero were counted. Generations of Whittlesea residents had been educated to only phone 000 in an emergency.

Whittlesea businesswoman Celina Mott said she was walking her dog at 9am on a Sunday morning when she witnessed people in a car using a ‘crack’ pipe.

Her phone call to Police was put through to the Mill Park station, but they did not have any staff to attend.

It was a stolen car.

“We are experiencing things that we haven’t experienced before,” said Ps. Legg.

Supt. Mick Sheehan said that 45 extra Police will be based at Mernda when the new station opens this year.

He said a 24-hour station required a Senior-Sergeant, Sergeant, and 28 officers.

● Mayor Cr Ricky Kirkham addresses the meeting ● Whittlesea residents packed the Activity Centre for Wednesday’s public meeting One resident said there was a more effective Police service in Whittlesea when a Senior-Sergeant lived in the residence next door to the Police Station: “You’d always get a response.”

Another resident asked what were people supposed to do if they were under attack, or a home invasion was taking place.

Supt. Sheehan said the first act was to look after their own self.

Sen. Sgt. Glenn Parker said that local officers wanted to serve as best they could: “This community means a hell of a lot to them” He told the meeting that the current zone looked after by local members was Hunters Rd in the south, the Hume Hwy to the west, Mt Disappointment to the north, and Kinglake West.

One Kinglake resident said that the mountain area was not always serviced by local police. Suspicious cars prowled local roads, and marks were put on buildings.

The question was asked how the community and police work confidently together.

No decision on changing staff levels at Whittlesea Police Station were to be made until assessments were made on operations at Mernda.

- Report and photos

by Ash Long, Editor ● Sen. Sgt. Glenn Parker with Danielle Green MLA Supt. Sheehan was asked about response times: “If you have an issue Triple Zero is the number to call.”

Sgt Gatt, Police Association Secretary, said Whittlesea was clearly a strong community. He had lived in a similar regional community, and had been in command at a station.

People wanted to be able to walk into a local police station: “We get that local communities want to come in to talk to us.”

He said Whittlesea police members were “completely passionate” about the community, and watching their staff levels.

Police Command had listened to elected representatives, and two vacancies were to be filled.

● Wendy Lovell MLC and meeting chairman Ps. Shane Lepp

● Superintendent Mick Sheehan pledged to share the contents of his email to Police Command with locals

Police Association joins the fight

● Sgt Wayne Gatt, Police Association Secretary ■ Police Association Secretary Sgt Wayne Gatt addressed Wednesday night’s meeting of concerned Whittlesea residents.

“The Police Association Victoria welcomes the commitment by the Government and Victoria Police to immediately fill two vacant positions at Whittlesea Police Station,” Sgt Gatt said in a written statement.

“Over the course of 2017, staffing at Whittlesea has been significantly depleted, with four positions not being filled.

“This has impacted our members’ ability to provide the service their community deserves, and has come to expect.

“The Association has, in recent weeks, expressed concerns in relation to plans by Victoria Police to reduce staffing at Whittlesea Police Station by half, to coincide with the forthcoming opening of the Mernda Police Station.”

Sgt Gatt said this initial staffing commitment was an important step in ensuring the long-term sustainability of Whittlesea Police Station.

“The Police Association acted on the concerns of its members at Whittlesea and the wider community, by lobbying Victoria Police to turn the tide of staffing cuts at Whittlesea,” he said.

“We commend both the elected local representative for Whittlesea and Victoria Police command for their willingness to engage with us on this issue and to the commitment of Victoria Police to fill two of the vacant positions immediately.

“This shows a genuine commitment to listen to the legitimate concerns of our members and the community.

“We also acknowledge the dedication and passion of our members in Whittlesea, who refuse to sit quietly as their ability to protect and serve their community is compromised by the gradual erosion of resources.”

Staffing at Whittlesea will be assessed after the new Mernda Police Station opens in late November.