Eyes on crime
The community response to information being provided in this format is overwhelmingly positive, which is evidenced with our Eyewatch page having the largest reach across Victoria of all 52 similar pages.
Recently police became aware of community concerns regarding the behaviour of youths in Lara specifically around the skate park and fast food restaurant. The behaviour included the use indecent language in public places, graffiti, assaults and threatening behaviours together with some more serious offending.
We listened to community concerns and mobilised our resources to address the issues through a planned operation involving local Lara and Geelong police together with members of our Youth Tasking Unit.
While the results were tremendous, in terms of reducing the offending and holding these youths to account for their behaviour, equally pleasing was the positive feedback received from the Lara community via our Eyewatch social media platform.
The Victoria Police Blue Paper articulates our organisational vision — one that must be innovative and flexible to meet both internal and external demands and needs.
Police must reflect upon both the objectives of our operational model and the methodologies we employ to ensure they have currency and can add social value. We are mindful of continually reviewing and adjusting our model. One way in which we seek community feedback on our progress is to engage with community to listen to what they need.
Geelong has been fortunate to receive Community Safety Network funding to help us better link into our community, listen to your concerns and consider them when shaping our future policing approach.
The project plan for this important piece of work is under way and you will see it gain traction by the end of June. If you are asked to contribute, please take the time to respond.
The Greater Geelong policing area has been fortunate to receive an additional 10 police recently which will help us to achieve more in support of our community.
We have initiated an ongoing operation, titled Operation Civitas, which will deploy and mobilise police into a problem area, identified through our intelligence modelling, to reduce community harm. This operation will be fluid, constant and, for the most part, highly visible.
On a final note — Victoria Police is in the midst of a recruiting campaign. We are adding 2729 additional police over four years.
If you want an exciting, challenging, rewarding and eventful career with endless variety and want to be part of the solution, then consider joining. Visit policecareer.vic.gov. au/ police Craig Gillard is Victoria Police Superintendent Divisional Commander for Division 1 Western Region