Whitfield Police Station closed during the Snow Season

Today's 'Chronicle' reported that police numbers during the snow season at Bright (8 officers), Myrtleford (6 officers) and Mount Beauty (5 officers) had been called into question. Officers are also seconded from Wodonga, Mitta Mitta, Wangaratta, and Whitfield for seven days up to four times during the season.

Why would they take any from Whitfield? It is a one-man station and when he is working in the snowfields, it becomes a no man station. In his absence, police calls are diverted to Wangaratta some fifty kilometres away!

Is there so little work for the Whitfield officer that the department is prepared to close shop to send him to the snowfields? If that is the case, why did they build a new police station and police residence in Whitfield a couple of years ago?

In the meantime, I'm sure the Wangaratta police will enjoy the 100 kilometre round trip to sort out a stray cow on a back road in Whitfield ... and I suspect they will arrive too late to intercept illegal deer hunters in the backwoods.

Related Article: SYKES – POLICE RESOURCES FOR SNOW SEASON