Gerald Lynch
Youth crime and family violence dominated discussions between police and concerned Hume residents at a public forum on Thursday.
Victoria Police invited residents to attend a neighbourhood policing forum on December 7.
General crime, drugs, and road policing were also discussed at length.
The forum was run by Inspector Paul O’Loughlin and Superintendent Wayne Cheesman who lead north west division four, which covers Craigieburn, Broadmeadows and Sunbury. The forum allowed residents and community leaders to talk directly with police about their issues and concerns
Police said youth crime had dropped 6.4 per cent compared with pre-COVID 2019 figures. However, they made it clear that youth crime is an issue in Hume, with growing concern surrounding aggravated burglaries and more people feeling unsafe in public settings when large groups of youths are present.
Police said some adult criminals are leveraging youth ‘gangs’ into committing crimes because they often receive less severe punishments.
Acting Inspector Warren Taylor said that knife crime and possession of weapons among youths was also a growing issue.
“We are seeing an increase of youths carrying knives on their person, hidden in pot-plants at shopping centres, stashed under the ground, and it is a serious concern,” he said.
Family violence figures are still of concern, but Inspector O’Loughlin said that “A higher number of incidents for us means that more victims are feeling safe enough to come forward and report”.
’We have introduced safe rooms at our stations away from the public, to enable victims to have an easier experience when coming forward.
“Unfortunately, a lot of the time, the victim is a woman and she is left with the children while her husband is at work, making it hard to file a report without the kid going home and telling their dad they went to the police station. We’re continuing to look for solutions.“
The officers said that in the 12 months to June, the top recorded crime in Hume was theft from a motor vehicle.
Superintendent Cheesman reinforced the message police have been pushing all year urging the community to lock their car doors.
“It’s that sort of stuff, leaving a car door unlocked with belongings like a handbag or laptop visible, that makes you an easy target,” he said.
“We’ve tried to get the message out but it just doesn’t seem to be sticking.
“For all the community leaders here, at every opportunity you have, remind people to lock their doors.”
Police also took on board some key ideas from residents who attended the forum.
A representative from Engage Pasefika asked for added support for Pacific Islander youths who are getting into trouble with the law.
They were also urged to adopt a similar program in Hume that the Whittlesea Community Connections runs called driverED, to help disadvantaged people learn to drive.
Police took the feedback on board and agreed to discuss the issues further.
