Page 3455 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 25 November 1992
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responsibility for a particular area. We are trying to get to a situation where the traders, the shopkeepers, in Civic, for example, know by name their local sergeant and their local constable so that there is a better rapport, so that they can chat with police officers.
There was an operation earlier this year in the Belconnen Mall. When police officers developed closer relationships with the store operators they picked up pieces of intelligence that resulted in more charges being laid. They would chat to one shop owner about how some kids had been ripping some stuff from the store; they would chat to another shop owner and another piece of information would emerge. The jigsaw pieces would fall into place and arrests would follow. Getting back to that old fashioned approach to policing is a very positive initiative, but it is one that has required a change in police attitudes.
I think our region of the AFP is as far along that track as any police force of the country. Indeed, in some areas we have taken initiatives here which other States are looking at. The pushbike patrol is one that there is considerable interest in. We mentioned at the meeting the other day in Melbourne - was it there, Mr Humphries? - the possibility of a skateboard patrol.
Mr Humphries: It was here.
MR CONNOLLY: It may have been here. It was a jocular suggestion, but the strategy is to get police closer to the people that they are policing. Relationships between young people and police have been a problem.
To summarise, this is a matter of public importance that Mr Kaine has raised. I welcome the fact that, in general, there is a lot of agreement between the Government and the Opposition. It seems that the points of agreement are that we have to accept that we will have, for the foreseeable future, constraints on the police budget; that the answer to this problem is not simply to have more police or to apply more force to the situation but to take a community approach to the problem.
The Opposition calls on the Government to take some initiatives. I would say that our first meeting of traders, members of the entertainment industry, representatives of the ACTION bus system and other relevant parties to look at crime in Civic with police indicates that we are taking the initiative. We are prepared to look at the criminal law where there are problems with specific offences. I expect to come back to this Assembly in due course with some initiatives in that area. I think that we can start to turn this trend around. It would be foolish of me to pretend that there was a simple answer that could suddenly turn it around. I do not think that Mr Kaine would expect me to say that. I think there is an acknowledgment that we have to work together to deal with this important problem.
MR HUMPHRIES (3.44): I am heartened by the comments that have been made in the chamber today about this matter of public importance, because on previous occasions when we have debated crime and community safety there has always been an element of recrimination and blame passing from one side of the chamber to the other. It may be that the Minister has been sobered by the very alarming figures I referred to today in my question in question time. Whatever the reason, I am grateful that the Government is prepared to acknowledge that there is a problem and that we are collectively responsible for finding some solution to that problem.
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