POLICE staffing across the City of Whittlesea was brought up throughout parliament this week as Liberal Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell raised concerns that Mernda and Epping police stations may be closed every weekend.
Ms Lovell said she had been informed by sources that from November 2, Mernda and Epping Police stations would be open from Monday to Friday from 10am to 6pm, while Whittlesea station would only be opened two days a week.
Such a result would mean the Whittlesea Police Service Area would only have Mill Park to serve the municipality of 250,000 people on Saturdays, Sundays and evenings.
Added claims from Ms Lovell was that Mernda and Epping were operating at around 50 per cent of its staffing, while Mill Park was estimated to be operating at around 30 to 40 per cent of its staffing.
The claims followed Brad Battin attempting to visit Mernda Police station recently, only to find it closed in the middle of the day.
With recent data suggesting crime in the City of Whittlesea increased by 28.5 per cent in the region last year, Ms Lovell said there were great concerns.
“It is a total betrayal to close police stations in the City of Whittlesea when crime has gone up by almost 30 per cent in the last year,” she said.
“The Minister for Police must guarantee that Epping, Mernda, Mill Park and Whittlesea police stations will return to being fully staffed, Mernda station will return to being a 24-hour, seven-days-per-week operation, Epping station will remain open on weekends and confirm by what date these outcomes will be delivered.”
However, the State Government hit back, saying operational decisions regarding counter hours at stations were a matter for Victoria Police, not made by the Government.
A government spokesperson said funding had brought 192 new members into the Whittlesea area as part of $4.5 billion of funding.
“Our record funding of $4.5 billion has helped Victoria Police bring more than 3,600 new members on – including 192 new officers in the Whittlesea area,” they said.
“The Chief Commissioner has also announced his plan to deliver a safer Victoria and a new-look Victoria Police – getting more officers out from behind the desk and on the streets deterring crime.”
