Security beefed up – Sixteen additional police will join the City of Casey in the coming weeks. 50844

By Lia Bichel
SIXTEEN extra police will join the frontline within weeks to help tackle violent crime and anti-social behaviour in the City of Casey.
These 16 are part of 600 extra police officers, including 450 new recruits and 150 existing members, being redeployed across the state.
Of this number, 100 officers will be added to the Operations Response Unit, and that number is expected to increase to more than 300 members by the end of the year.
Greater Dandenong will also receive 16 police and Cardinia will receive three additional police.
Gembrook MP Brad Battin said new front line police would be allocated to Casey-Cardinia by June 30.
Mr Battin said he was committed to improving law and order in Casey and Cardinia, which is why he had campaigned strongly for more police on local streets.
“With the recent spate of burglaries and break-ins reported across the growth corridor, these extra police couldn’t come sooner,” he said.
Mr Battin said the Victoria Police announcement would be followed by the rollout of further police during the next four years.
Deputy Commissioner Ken Lay said Victoria Police had determined where the additional police should be placed by looking at population size in growing suburban and large regional areas, as well as areas facing a high operational demand, current crime levels, community perceptions and emerging trends. Mr Lay said while certain areas had been deemed a priority in terms of police numbers now, many more locations across the state would be identified and receive additional officers in coming years.
He said the organisation had a once-in-a-generation opportunity with such large numbers of police coming into the organisation.
“Over recent months I have been leading a team, looking at our operation priorities, as well as the way we deliver our policing services. With almost 5500 new people coming into the organisation, as either police or Protective Service Officers, we have an opportunity to review the way we do business,” he said.