Increased police to hit crime
A significant injection of police resources across the Baw Baw police services area is expected to target an upward trend in crime statistics over recent years.
In the biggest ever rollout of additional police across the region, extra resources have been allocated at Warragul, Drouin, Trafalgar and Neerim South stations.
The rollout is further supported by specialist divisional police, including a crime scene unit, working across the division.
Superintendent Mick West said the additional resources meant Baw Baw was getting a “really improved service.”
“We are now getting the resources to combat the crime and we are more pro-active.
“A significant increase in general duty officers allows us to bolster the frontline, which means the community will notice a more visible police presence,” he said.
Two additional sergeants and seven senior constables have been allocated to Warragul while Drouin station has an additional sergeant and one leading senior constable.
Two additional senior constables have been allocated to Trafalgar and one senior constable at Neerim South.
Baw Baw CIU also has two additional detectives and two additional highway patrol officers over the past 12 months.
Supt West said the increase at Drouin was particularly pleasing.
He said the station was now staffed by two sergeants and 10 officers which would significantly help to meet the needs of a growing population.
“Those extra numbers enable us to run a night shift at Drouin.”
He said population growth and crime trends were among the criteria used in a Victoria Police formula for allocating resources.
Supt West said the additional resources across the division – which includes Baw Baw, Latrobe and Bass Coast – enabled a divisional response to crime.
“We want to make the division responsive so if there is a run of crime here, we can bring down resources from Latrobe.
“It’s about getting police resources to where our hot spots are or where the high harming, high crime is occurring.
“We’ve never had the staff to be pro-active. Having two divisional vans and a sergeant on night shift is long overdue.
“It’s a real safety thing. It means if there is a critical incident we can increase safety and decrease risk,” he said.
Supt West said new resources had already provided a substantial boost to policing efforts across the local community.
He said the clean-up rate of crime across Baw Baw was first rate – “they’ve been really kicking goals.”
Supt West said extra detectives across the divisions allowed them to set up a serious crime investigation unit to target serious crime offences.
“These extra resources will facilitate more proactive investigations and a refined and timely response to existing and emerging crime themes,” he said.
Over a three-year period, Supt West said 110 people had been deployed across the division.
In March, it was announced the Baw Baw, Bass Coast and Latrobe police service areas would receive 79 additional police over the coming 12 months.
Nine additional shared divisional resources, including crime scene services and criminal investigators are also being rolled out.
An additional 18 shared divisional police will begin by April next year, including crime scene services and highway patrol members.