Whittlesea police are on a mission to prevent ice use becoming a significant problem in the area.
Data from the Crime Statistics Agency shows 130 known ice-related offences in the municipality during 2015.
In a bid to stop that number from climbing, police, in association with Whittlesea City Neighbourhood Watch, Blue Light and Whittlesea council, will hold a forum next week to educate people on the drug, its dangers and where to get help.
Inspector Paul Tysoe will run the forum, which will include guest speakers from Victoria Police and rehabilitation services.
Inspector Tysoe said drugs had long been drivers of crime, with attention now turning to the influence of ice on crime rates.
He said police want to work with the community to address the problems presented by ice and to support offenders in getting help.
“We know we can’t arrest our way out of the situation,” Inspector Tysoe said.
“We need the support of rehabilitation services. We want to establish an alternative to prison for the rehabilitation of addicted persons.”
Inspector Tysoe said police believed that helping offenders to access rehabilitation services would help them reduce recidivism rates.
He is hopeful the forum will help form connections between police, the community and rehabilitation workers. Police also hope that the forum will help the community better understand ice addiction.
Inspector Tysoe said people often used emotive terms such as “epidemic” or “flood” when talking about ice, instead of trying to understand the issue.
“[Those terms] don’t assist with addressing people’s underlying reasons for drug taking and the influence on crime rates,” he said.
The forum is on Thursday, April 28, at Plenty Ranges Arts and Convention Centre’s Woodstock Theatre, 35 Ferres Boulevard, South Morang, from 7-9pm. Details: 9409 8146
