VICTORIA Police’s Somerville Crime Reduction Team (CRT) is seeing results, with two high-risk teen brothers now back on track thanks to targeted intervention.
The brothers were previously known to police with a significant criminal history but that has changed since the CRT got involved. “Through constant contact with the boys, their family, and external support services, their offending has come to a halt, removing their need for police intervention,” Victoria Police said on its Eyewatch Mornington Peninsula Service Area Facebook page. Senior Constable Amy Holden called the boys’ mother to share that “they’ve turned a corner”.
CRTs were launched in 2004 across Melbourne and Geelong, targeting serious and often young offenders with the aim of stopping the offending and connecting them to tailored support services.
“We operate with the intention of giving these offenders pathways away from crime, but we have no hesitation in arresting them if they offend,” said Acting Sergeant Trent Delaney, who leads the Somerville CRT covering the Frankston and Mornington Peninsula areas. He said the need to build strong relationships extended beyond just the offender with regular contact with parents and family members being just as important, to ensure the good work continues at home.
In its first six months, Somerville CRT has been successful in helping several high-risk youths find a new direction including returning to school and gaining employment. Holden said they hoped to replicate the outcomes across the region. “It makes me so proud of the work that we do,” she said.
First published in the Mornington News – 26 August 2025