SHOW US SOME RESPECT
Geelong’s top cop slams ’Queensbiff’ attack that put officers in hospital
A WILD brawl that saw three police officers hospitalised after allegedly being assaulted in Queenscliff on Saturday night, shows a growing trend of disrespect towards police that must stop, Police Association Victoria’s secretary says.
Geelong’s top cop, Superintendent Craig Gillard, pictured, also criticised some people’s disrespect towards police, as calls were made for more police on the Bellarine.
VIOLENCE that saw three police officers hospitalised after being assaulted in Queenscliff on Saturday night, shows a growing trend of disrespect towards police that must stop, Police Association Victoria’s secretary says.
Geelong’s top cop, Superintendent Craig Gillard, also criticised disrespect towards police, as calls were made for more police on the Bellarine.
Supt Gillard said the alleged incident was “disgraceful” and has questioned why people would “aggravate and hinder” police officers trying to the protect community.
“I question whether there is a loss of respect in the community toward law enforcement,” he said.
Victoria Police and the police union are providing support to six officers assaulted while responding to reports of drunk and disorderly behaviour at the Queenscliff Brewhouse on Saturday night.
The two responding officers were required to call for backup from Geelong and the Bellarine after allegedly being set on by two men while trying to remove another male from the Brewhouse.
Three men allegedly attempted to flee after the assault but were apprehended in an alley when several pubgoers allegedly turned on police.
Officers were forced to use capsicum spray in an attempt to calm the intoxicated crowd.
Crime Statistics Agency data reveals more people were charged with assaulting police and emergency workers in Greater Geelong in the 12 months to March (116) than in the previous year (101).
Police Association Victoria secretary Wayne Gatt said this highlighted a growing trend of disrespect towards police that must be rectified.
“Any attack on one of our officers is an attack on the community and the community are right to be outraged when these instances occur,” Mr Gatt said.
Three Point Lonsdale men — aged 20, 21 and 27 — were arrested, along with two 21year-old Queenscliff men and another Queenscliff man aged 36. A seventh man handed himself into Geelong police soon after.
Two 21-year-old men will face court on various assault charges in October.
Supt Gillard said there would be a zero tolerance towards this type of violence and that all people who assaulted officers would be charged and go before the courts.
“We do not have an expectation that officers will be met with random (acts of) violence,” he said. “I am very confident the broader community shares that view.”
Veteran Bellarine police officer and Liberal candidate Brian McKiterick said the incident highlighted the need for more police in the region.
Mr McKiterick said the two officers who responded to the incident were forced to wait close to an hour for back-up due to lack of officers on duty on the Bellarine.
“Queenscliff, Drysdale and Portarlington are very rarely open, police are travelling down from other stations,” he said.
“Ocean Grove has been filling up the gaps at Geelong.”
He said the incident must be the catalyst for more policing numbers to ensure back-up could quickly respond to officer in dangerous situations.
Police Minister Lisa Neville said the State Government had deployed an additional 25 police members to Geelong and the Bellarine with a further 28 on the way.
Ms Neville said she had spoken to police regarding the welfare of the officers involved in the Queenscliff incident.
“I have reached out to local police to check on the welfare of the officers and have been advised that thankfully there are no serious injuries sustained by police,” she said.
“We have introduced laws to ensure anyone over 18 who injures a police officer is held accountable. Alcohol and drugs will no longer be an acceptable excuse and people will face jail when they injure an officer.”