The panel, with Wangaratta Superintendent Joy Arbuthnot (centre) and Inspector Ash Mason (fifth from left), fielded questions throughout the forum.
Photo by
Owen Sinclair
The need for a 24-hour police station was one of several concerns raised at a recent police forum in Cobram.
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About 30 community members and dignitaries turned out to hear from officers attached to the Wangaratta and Cobram police units at the Cobram Civic Centre on Thursday, May 1.
The forum canvassed five themes, including family violence, road policing, drugs and drug-related crime, and youth offending.
Speaking to the forum, Wangaratta Inspector Ash Mason said he understood the community’s concerns over a 24-hour police presence in Cobram.
“I’m currently working with our people and on a model to work towards a permanent implementation of a 24-hour rostered service delivery with our current available resources,” he said to the audience.
“It’s not a 24-hour police station, but what I’m hoping to work towards is a model where we have staff on duty, rostered, 24 hours a day for the Moira LGA, and not reliant on the on-call or availability model.”
The audience heard reports of the main trends in crime offences in the Moira Shire and broader Wangaratta service area.
Photo by
Owen Sinclair
Wangaratta Superintendent Joy Arbuthnot confirmed the project was in development.
“It won’t be perfect, but at least it’s a step towards providing a better on-duty response,” Supt Arbuthnot said.
Guest speakers at the forum, such as Cobram CIU Detective Sergeant Marcus Boyd, outlined the major concerns and priorities in their specialist fields.
Questions from the audience were fielded throughout the evening and answered by the panel.
They touched on topics ranging from breaches of family violence intervention orders to co-operation between Victoria Police and NSW Police across the state border.
State Member for Ovens Valley Tim McCurdy was impressed by the breadth of subjects and knowledge demonstrated by the panel’s members.
“I thought tonight was a very proactive night because the police came to the community to talk about what they’re doing,” he said.
“It was mentioned by Supt Joy Arbuthnot that it’s really important we be proactive and lock our cars, lock our houses, do the basic things.”
The need for a 24-hour police presence in Cobram was something with which Mr McCurdy said he was well familiar.
“Moira Shire is still a long way from either Shepparton or Wangaratta, where we get our main resources from. That is still the burning issue, and that is the burning issue that we will take to the election next year: and that’s about getting a 24-hour station and presence in Cobram or Yarrawonga,” he said.
“[People] are concerned about the time frame it takes to ring 000. By the time somebody comes to deal with the situation, the crooks are well gone.”
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