POLICE PLAN FOR SHOP BAN
Police push to muzzle anti-social behaviour
POLICE are pushing to ban badly behaved people from Geelong’s shopping strips and centres.
The move could look to ban offenders such as repeat shoplifters and other law breakers from retail areas for up to a year, preventing them from going near certain shops during the day up until about 4.30pm.
Officers told the Geelong Advertiser they were pushing for the plan to be introduced after a number of incidents, particularly in the city’s north, over the past few months and hoped the move would increase public safety.
Acting Senior Sergeant Aaron Riches said the ban list would be modelled on the city’s CBD night-life ban, which prevents thugs from entering central Geelong if caught misbehaving.
“There’s still way too many known parties at suburban shopping centres and we’d like to move in to create a shopping centre accord,” Sen-Sgt Riches said. “So in an area such as Labuan Square, people could be banned for 12 months and if they breached they’d be interviewed for trespass.
“You’re going to think twice about committing a public order offence if you’ve got to walk 10km to the next shop as apposed to down the corner, because a lot don’t have cars.”
Sen-Sgt Riches said CBD bans following night-life bans had helped drive down the area’s assault rate by about 25 per cent and also increased the feeling of safety.
“In January 2013 we had seven people on the list, now that’s in excess of 100,” he said.
“That’s 80 to 100 people with a predisposition for violence.
“They are all referred through the Victoria Police e- -referral system so that had an impact on assaults also.”
Following that change, assaults dropped more than 20 per cent on streets, laneways and footpaths.
He said while the shopping initiative was still in its early stages, it had “started to progress”.
Labuan Square supermarket owner Ellen, who asked for her surname to be withheld, said she and her family supported the proposal.
She said the shop had been the target of violent crime over the years, including an armed robbery, and hoped to see the feeling of safety increased in the area.
“Things are good at the moment but we don’t want them going back again,” she said.
Pharmacist Jarrod Taylor agreed but urged police to increase patrols in the area.
“I think it’s a good idea but we don’t want the police to implement it and forget about having a police presence here,’ he said.