3 minute read
Growing a station from the ground up
Editorial and photography: Jesse Wray-McCann
Out and About - Mernda
When the Mernda community's four-year campaign for a police station was finally realised, Senior Sergeant Dean Delle-Vergini wanted his troops to hit the ground running.
Mernda and surrounding suburbs in Melbourne’s northern fringe had been experiencing a population boom for years and, although the area was covered by nearby stations, locals were crying out for a station of their own.
So on 19 November 2017, the opening of the $15 million, 24-hour Mernda Police Station was met with the cheers of the community.
It was a rubber-meets-the-road moment for Sen Sgt Delle-Vergini, who had been methodically planning and preparing his new team of 45 police for months.
With at least 10 of the officers being new constables fresh from the Victoria Police Academy, Sen Sgt Delle-Vergini wanted to recruit some experienced heads to help settle them in.
“I knew I’d need senior police who were good field coaches, good at mentoring and would have the patience to bring those new officers up to speed,” Sen Sgt Delle-Vergini said.
They got the balance right and set about establishing a culture and standards that would ensure the people of Mernda got the police service they had fought for.
“We made sure everyone who arrived here knew they were expected to get out in the community to work hand-in-hand with them,” Sen Sgt Delle-Vergini said.
This meant running projects and engaging with local schools and youth groups was an early priority.
Sgt David Magnavacca and A/Sgt Vanessa Seddon continue Mernda Police Station’s focus on connecting with the community.
“Embedding ourselves within the community was probably our most significant win over the last two years,” Sen Sgt Delle-Vergini said.
Having the right staff culture is crucial for Mernda Police Station, and Sen Sgt Delle-Vergini is always encouraging his team to work hard and be “humble yet proud Merndarites”.
In adopting this approach, police at Mernda have been able to achieve great results for their community.
In June 2014, the population of Whittlesea – the local government area Mernda sits within – was 187,000 and the annual crime rate was 7,477 reported offences per 100,000 people.
By June this year, the area’s population had boomed to more than 230,000.
“With an increase like that, you would think that crime would be skyrocketing,” Sen Sgt Delle- Vergini said.
“But because we are now in the area, constantly patrolling and engaging with the community, we’ve actually contributed to significant reductions in the crime rate while at the same time increasing community perceptions of safety and satisfaction with the organisation.”
The annual crime rate as at June this year had dropped to 6,952 recorded offences per 100,000 people.
Sen Sgt Dean Delle-Vergini heads up the team at Mernda Police Station
“I couldn’t be prouder of all that our officers here have been able to achieve in such a short time,” Sen Sgt Delle-Vergini said.
“We get letters all the time complimenting the work our officers do.
“We regularly have members of the community from all backgrounds coming in to say thank you, or to drop off some chocolates, home-made biscuits and cakes.
“It’s pleasing for our officers to see that their hard work is being recognised and appreciated.”
Among those most thankful is Whittlesea Council deputy mayor Tom Joseph, who founded and led the four-year 'Mernda Needs a Police Station' campaign.
More than 5,000 people signed the campaign’s petition calling for a police station in the suburb.
“Since the opening of the 24-hour Mernda Police Station, crime against property has come down significantly and there’s been a huge reduction in burglary and car break-ins,” Cr Joseph said.
“More importantly, the perception of safety in our community has significantly improved.
Keep up-to-date with the latest Mernda policing news by visiting the Whittlesea Police Service Area Eyewatch page at facebook.com/eyewatchwhittlesea
