RECOGNITION that they “weren’t being effective in tackling family violence” prompted Kingston police to help form Taskforce Alexis in December – and the results are proving its effectiveness.
The first operation of its kind in Victoria, the taskforce combines proactive, mental health and family violence experts in an integrated team.
They work to ensure that those affected by family violence in Glen Eira, Bayside and Kingston “get the help they need”.
Last year there were 2600 incidents of family violence in these suburbs – with children present in 700.
Acting Senior Sergeant Fiona Alexander, of Moorabbin’s Proactive Unit, said the taskforce allowed police to specialise in areas of family violence, mental health, crime prevention and youth. They work alongside a Monash Health mental health clinician and a Salvation Army family violence specialist worker.
“We were finding we had no capacity to handle jobs – we were becoming social workers,” she said about the taskforce yesterday. “So we sat down and worked out how to address the issues.
“We now have 24 members on the team and we will think ‘outside the square’ and go to any lengths to arrest or remand offenders.”
In two months, Taskforce Alexis has charged 32 offenders, remanded 15 recidivists, began intensive counselling with 19 families, engaged with 10 youths, conducted six security audits, and helped 160 people suffering from a mental health disorder.
Being proactive and well-resourced is the key. “If we think someone is acting badly we now have the ability to use other resources to catch them,” Acting Senior Sergeant Alexander said, adding that tackling recidivism – repeat offending – was a priority.
“For example, we can install CCTV cameras at places where they might go. So, if someone tells us the perpetrator is following them, or visiting them when they shouldn’t, we are able to get the evidence to convict them.”
Proactive, mental health and family violence teams who specialise in these areas now work together. For example, a youth resource officer may work with a child while the crime prevention officer conducts a safety audit of the home to ensure the victim of family violence feels safe.
At the same time, a firearms officer will ensure that there are no weapons to cause harm, and the family violence police officer will ensure the perpetrator is held to account and the victim protected. The clinician will ensure referrals to support services are followed through.
Unfortunately, in the family violence setting, police say only 3 per cent of men take up referrals.
Taskforce Alexis, launched at Moorabbin on Monday, also includes members of the Pacer shift, who offer a joint crisis response to those experiencing a behavioural disturbance in the community.
This has freed up police on-the-beat from attending hospitals or clinics. “We have since been able to give back 420 hours to the division,” Acting Senior Sergeant Alexander said.
At the launch, Superintendent Ross Guenther, described Taskforce Alexis as a “holistic model that we think is the way to go to”.
“We know that we can’t arrest our way out of the problem and we need to focus on prevention.”
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News
