BAYSIDE police will be working with the public to keep the peace this summer as the mercury climbs and beachgoers start flocking to the foreshore.
Visiting the Mordialloc police station last week, Mordialloc MP Tim Richardson and Police Minister Lisa Neville praised officers for their work to support community safety.
As part of Operation Summertime police will focus on public order issues, including beach parties, drunkenness and drug use, use of fireworks and other anti-social activities at the beach. The beach patrol and a bike patrol units will run right through summer to respond to incidents.
Ms Neville said that while public order and security offences in Kingston had decreased by 8 per cent over the last year, police remain vigilant.
Victoria Police continues to ramp up its recruitment and training across the state. About 1000 police, police custody officers and protective services officers will be in training at the Victoria Police Academy over the next 12 months.
The government this week fast-tracked the recruitment of 406 new police, with the first of the 300 new officers to hit the beat in early 2017.
Backing them up are custody officers whose appointment allows police, including at Moorabbin and Dandenong, return to the front line. Almost 250 custody officers are deployed at 22 of Victoria’s busiest police stations.
Since November 2014, Ms Neville said the Labor Government had added 1156 new police.
“Summer is one of the best times by the bay, and it’s important for people to stay safe over this busy period,” Mr Richardson said.
“That’s why local police will be patrolling the beaches and responding to incidents, including drug and alcohol-fuelled anti-social behaviour.”
Ms Neville said the Government was working closely with the Chief Commissioner to ensure communities, like Mordialloc, have the resources they need to keep people safe.
“We’ve also brought in new laws to target carjackings and home invasions to give police greater powers to crack down on crime,” she said.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 7 December 2016