POLICE commanders have rejected claims rising crime rates are due to cuts to the number of frontline officers assigned to suburban stations, despite a report showing there are now 20 per cent less “frontline” police on duty at Kingston police stations than in 2010. Latest figures released by Victoria Police reveal the number of crimes committed across the state rose 5 per cent rise over the past year, while Kingston’s crime rate increased 1.5 per cent. Drug offences surged more than 30 per cent in Kingston over the past 12 months, while residential burglaries jumped 17.4 per cent. However, the…
Author: Chris Brennan
THOUSANDS of spectators lined the streets of Kingston on Sunday as the world’s top endurance athletes swam, rode and ran through Melbourne’s bayside suburbs during the 2014 Ironman Melbourne Asia-Pacific Championship. The international ironman event, which featured athletes from more than 40 countries, involved a 3.8 kilometre swim at Frankston, a 180 kilometre two-lap ride on Eastlink, and 42.2 kilometre run from Frankston to St Kilda along the Nepean Hwy, Beach St and the Esplanade. Luxembourg’s Dirk Bockel won the event in a time of 08:01:02, destroying hopes for a one-two Aussie finish, with Paul Matthews and David Dellow forced…
POLICE procedures for processing warrants will be overhauled to ensure they are enacted more quickly in the wake of the murder of 11-year-old Tyabb schoolboy Luke Batty by his father, Greg Anderson, who was wanted by police at the time of the incident. Chelsea police had an opportunity to detain Anderson after they spoke to him at a Chelsea Heights address over another violent incident three weeks before he murdered his son last month but failed to do so because they were unaware of five separate warrants out for his arrest. Anderson was shot by police following the murder and…
TWO “dangerous” dogs due to be euthanised last Thursday after escaping their owners’ Frankston property and killing two pet cats have won an 11th hour reprieve after an appeal was lodged with the Supreme Court. Charlie, a male mastiff cross, and Sharni, a sharpei female cross, were just hours from being put down when Frankston Council was informed by a barrister representing the owners that an injunction had been sought. It is understood an anonymous donor provided financial assistance to owners Evan Jeremiejczyk and Shannon Holt to fund a Supreme Court appeal. A council spokesperson confirmed the injunction late on…
UNEMPLOYED young people from Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula will soon be able to apply to join the Coalition government’s Green Army environmental training scheme but they will be paid well below the minimum wage and won’t be covered by national health and safety laws or be eligible for workers compensation. Legislation for $300 million Green Army scheme recently tabled in federal parliament by Environment Minister and member for Flinders Greg Hunt has drawn fierce criticism from unions, environmental groups and legal experts. Under the Green Army legislation, 250 projects involving approximately 2500 “volunteer trainees” will begin around Australia this…