CHRISTINE CAMPBELL ANNOUNCES RECORD NEW POLICE FOR VICTORIA
Member for Pascoe Vale, Christine Campbell, has welcomed a Brumby Labor Government announcement to add an extra 1,966 police across Victoria in the biggest single boost to police numbers in the state’s history.
“We are deploying an additional 1,700 officers to front-line policing as well as freeing up an additional 266 police officers to be redeployed to other operational roles,” Ms Campbell said.
“This rollout will start this year and will see Labor increase the number of police in Victoria by over 3,500 sworn police since 1999.”
Ms Campbell said that under the Labor Government’s plan, to be funded in the upcoming Budget, the Chief Commissioner of Police would allocate the extra resources based on their operational need.
As part of the boost to the force, 266 sworn police would be moved from desk-bound jobs, such as call taking and dispatch in regional areas, into frontline roles, with new jobs for public servants backfilling these positions.
Ms Campbell said that a 22.34 per cent increase in the numbers of police in Moreland since 1999 highlighted the Labor Government’s commitment to investing in increased police numbers across Victoria.
“Not only have we seen a 22.34 per cent increase in police numbers in Moreland, we’ve also seen a decrease in crime of 15.1 per cent over this time,” Ms Campbell said.
Ms Campbell said that the Labor Government has been working with Victoria Police to crack down on crime such as drunken and disorderly behaviour, hoon driving and graffiti, to help keep communities safe.
“Since we introduced tough new laws in late 2009, a total of 15 $234 fines have been handed out to troublemakers in Moreland,” Ms Campbell said.
“Hoon drivers have also been targeted in Moreland, with 292 drivers joining over 10,000 others across the state in having their cars impounded by police.
“We have also rebuilt or refurbished more than 160 police stations and residences as part of a $450 million police station building program – the largest in the state’s history.”
“When Labor promises new police, Labor delivers. Since 1999, we have promised and then delivered 1400 new police and currently adding more than 470 more to the force,” said Ms Campbell.
“This is in stark contract to the Victorian Opposition, who, when Ted Baillieu was party president, promised 1,000 new police but actually cut 800.
“Only Labor can be trusted to deliver new police to Victoria – and today’s announcement reaffirms that.”