A SENIOR Frankston policeman says the 42 per cent rise in drug dealing reported in the recently released State Crime Statistics reflects better detection by officers.
“We’re doing more to target dealers and remove illicit substances from the streets,” Acting Superintendent Simon Humphrey said.
The rise in drug dealing is included in a 7.1 per cent jump in crime in Frankston in the past year. In the year to March, a record 15,286 offences were reported in Frankston compared to 14,271 the year before – up 1015 in the year.
“Peninsula Health has seen a 20 per cent increase in ice-related presentations,” Peninsula Health’s operations director mental health Sharon Sherwood said.
“We are working with other key stakeholders – the council, state government, Primary Health Network, and Monash and Melbourne universities – on a high level project focusing on pharmacotherapy issues in Frankston.”
Frankston mayor Cr James Dooley jumped to the city’s defence over claims that drug offences in Frankston have rocketed by more than 50 per cent in the past five years.
Cr James Dooley said the city’s ice problem was not out of control and that policing shortages and the large number of methadone facilities, had made the problem worse.
“It is true that Frankston did see a significant increase in drug offences 2012-16, but all of this increase occurred in 2013,” he said.
“Since then crime rates have remained quite stable.”
Cr Dooley said the reason for the earlier dramatic increase was that more police were allocated to Frankston resulting in more arrests.
He said drug offences, particularly, were driven by police activity: “The more police you have, the more street-drug offences are targeted and the more crime will be recorded.”
Frankston City Council had proactively advocated successive state governments over a long period to correct what was perceived as a shortage of police, resulting in numbers rising significantly 2011-2014, Cr Dooley said.
“This stemmed from the previous state government’s 1700/940 project, with Frankston receiving the most “extra” police in Victoria as a result.
“This increased level has been maintained by the present state government and is reflected in the level of offences recorded. We are thankful for the increased police presence in Frankston.”
Cr Dooley said the city needed more drug rehabilitation services – but this was a state-wide and national issue and not isolated to Frankston.
“Given it costs about $100,000 a year to jail a person, there is a real financial motive to providing rehabilitation,” he said.
“Of the 260 drug dealing and trafficking offences recorded in Frankston this year, 149 were for methamphetamine use and only three for heroin trafficking. [Source: Crime Statistics Authority, extraction from LEAP 18 April 2016].
“This shows that methadone prescriptions are working as an opioid diversionary tactic and preventing the widespread use of heroin. Following on from this, it is preventing the crime that is associated with heroin use.”
Cr Dooley said the council would “hold Dunkley Liberal and Labor candidates to account for their words with appropriate action” once the election result was known.
