Home victims can get support: policeBy Rebecca Fraser

AN ENDEAVOUR Hills policeman has urged families to take full advantage of local support agencies in a bid to lower the incidence of domestic violence.
Senior Sergeant Mike Jenkins said Endeavour Hills police were faced with a “fairly constant” stream of domestic violence incidents and this was tying up a lot of police time and resources.
Sen Sgt Jenkins said family violence was a real issue and a cause of community concern in Casey and Endeavour Hills police often responded to family violence incidents in Hampton Park and other neighbouring suburbs.
Due to new police protocol introduced to help combat the incidence of family violence police must go to court to seek an intervention order if criminal charges are involved.
Sen Sgt Jenkins said if no criminal charges were involved police could use a summons procedure.
He said both measures were tying up police time.
“There is a lot of domestic violence in the area and it is a real issue.
“It is hard to be specific with how many we are attending a week but we had one last night (Sunday) and one this morning (Monday).
“The message is if families have issues whether it be gambling or alcohol problems or anger management they should try and seek help and support through local agencies before it reaches this point,” Sen Sgt Jenkins said.
In April last year official police figures showed that Cranbourne was the domestic violence capital of Casey, 461 family incidents being reported in 2003-2004.
In the rest of Casey, 66 police reports were made in Hallam, 96 in Narre Warren North, 138 in Narre Warren and 161 in Endeavour Hills.