Shadow Minister for Police, David Southwick, has added his voice to calls for more Protective Services Officers (PSOs) in regional Victoria as a crime wave continues to sweep the state.
Mr Southwick visited the Latrobe Valley this week to meet with The Nationals’ Member for Morwell, Martin Cameron, to discuss local issues surrounding anti-social behaviour and community safety, and the need for PSOs across regional Victoria.
“For two years I have been campaigning for more PSOs in the Latrobe Valley, and for two years the Allan Labor Government has denied regional Victorians the same resources as metropolitan Melbourne,” Mr Cameron said.
“PSOs have a dedicated presence at 216 train stations in Melbourne, yet just four stations in the whole of regional Victoria are patrolled by PSOs.
“The Latrobe local government area has the highest crime rate of any municipality outside Melbourne, and we have a serious problem with anti-social behaviour in town centres around train stations and bus terminals.
“Our police do a terrific job keeping our community safe, but they are critically under-resourced by Labor, with some 1100 vacancies for frontline Victoria Police officers.
“The call for more police and PSO resources does not address the underlying issues that contribute to anti-social behaviour, but it is a very real action the Labor Government can take now to help the Latrobe Valley community feel safe.”
Mr Southwick – who supported the rollout of PSOs as Parliamentary Secretary for Police with the former Coalition Government – said the Allan Labor Government’s savage cuts to police resources during a crime crisis was putting the safety of Victorians at risk.
“Victorians deserve a government that prioritises their safety, not one that lets crime and anti-social behaviour spiral out of control and ignores sensible solutions,” Mr Southwick said.
“The presence of PSOs at train stations is a tried and tested method of deterring anti-social and criminal behaviour, and regional Victorians deserve to be offered the same protections as Melbournians.
“Premier Jacinta Allan must get her head out of the sand and take real action today to end the crime crisis and restore community safety across Victoria.”
