Top cop slams opposition’s crack at crime

Published by Wangaratta Chronicle 30.07.08 ... archived 31.07.08

Written by Jacquie Schwind.

OPPOSITION insinuations Wangaratta is suffering from a robbery crime rise and Wangaratta residents are being denied police justice on crimes committed have been slammed by Wangaratta police inspector, Wayne Rotherham.

Yesterday, two media releases from the Liberal and National parties claimed ‘Robbery and Weapons Offences Up in Wangaratta’ and ‘Wangaratta Residents Denied Justice as Clearance Rates Plummet’.

Issued by opposition leader Ted Baillieu, the releases provided what the opposition said was a leaked copy of the Victoria Police annual crime statistics report for 2007-2008, extracted from Law Enforcement Assistance Program (LEAP) data, produced by Victoria Police.

Mr Baillieu said police Region 4, which includes Wangaratta and the Alpine area, had the largest increase in robberies of any police region in the state with 31.8 per cent, suggesting a new trend in violent economic crime.

The opposition-provided statistics also put Region 4’s abductions/kidnaps up 35.6 per cent and weapons/explosives offences up 14.6 per cent.

But Mr Baillieu said Region 4’s clearance rates for property damage, residential burglary, theft and rape had fallen by 7 per cent, 6.5 per cent, 4.6 per cent and 3 per cent respectively.

Insp Rotherham said he could not comment in relation to the unofficial Region 4 statistics but came out strongly against the Wangaratta allegations.

"I am extremely disappointed by the claims being made in respect to the Wangaratta area," Insp Rotherham said.

"I believe they are being inaccurately portrayed and my disappointment is that there should be greater analysis done to determine the true picture which is far from what is being currently reported."

Insp Rotherham said the current Council of Australian Government (COAG) survey results in regard to perceptions of safety in Wangaratta were running at 97 per cent satisfaction.

"However, I feel referring to data which is unofficial and inaccurate unfairly impacts on people’s perception.

"The people of Wangaratta deserve better than this type of reporting.

"They should get their facts right before going to the press on this matter.

"It would be more advisable for them to get to the source for a true picture rather than this ridiculous campaign."

Insp Rotherham said as far as robbery went in the Wangaratta police service area, there was one robbery in the 2006-2007 year and two robberies in 2007-2008.

"In a 24 month period, the Wangaratta police service area which includes Alpine experienced three robberies and one offender was charged for two of these.

"It certainly doesn’t depict a serious robbery problem in this area."

Mr Baillieu said the statistics it had obtained showed the State Government had failed to protect Victorians from violent crime and had not put enough police on the streets.

"Exactly one year ago, John Brumby finally acknowledged record violence as a problem - touting legislation and a safe streets taskforce to reduce violence - but these numbers confirm the strategy has been a failure," Mr Baillieu said.

"These record levels of violent crime, rising property crimes and plummeting clearance rates are a direct result of the Premier’s stubborn refusal to increase the number of police officers across the state."