Wednesday 12th October 2016
The crime wave and law and order crisis is not just a Melbourne issue according to Leader of the Nationals and Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh.
In State Parliament this week Mr Walsh said a shortage of 24 hour policing resources is putting public safety at risk in small rural communities across his electorate.
“Lockington Foodworks has been broken into four times over the past few months ” Mr Walsh said.
“A staff member has been held at crossbow point and tied up the store has been trashed and windows have been broken ” he said.
Similar scenarios are occurring across the Murray Plains electorate with numerous break ins and thefts in Leitchville Tongala Rochester Gunbower and surrounding areas.
Mr Walsh said that despite the best efforts of existing officers the number of operational police is inadequate to provide a satisfactory level of police presence after hours across the outer areas of the electorate.
“Residents are now finding themselves living in crime hot spots and country life as they knew it is being compromised by fear.
“Our electorate office has received many complaints about the inadequate level of policing after dark in my smaller communities and I will continue to push for an increase in the number of operational police officers as a matter of urgency ” Mr Walsh said.