22nd March 2019
Disappointingly, these new figures add another dimension and highlight the risk to our way of life with the evolution of a new norm.
As disappointing as the figures are, and no matter what spin is applied, the crime rate is on the rise.
This has been achieved against record expenditure on upgrades to police resources and a program to increase numbers of police to a level never seen before and other positive initiatives the Government has applied.
The reason that we can predict confidently that crime will continue to rise no matter what legislative initiatives are applied, or additional police, or resource equipment provided, can be found in the reported comments by Deputy Commissioner Patten on the 21st of March’19.
Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton said because there are more police on the streets they are detecting more crime.
“What you see is a more detected crime, more offenders being taken into custody, we expect that trend to continue,” he said.
“We are processing more offenders than ever before. We have a record number of offenders processed. We are holding people to account. We are managing offenders and enforcing better.
“Police are cracking down on bail offending. When people breach their bail, they are being taken back into custody and put back before the courts.”
“What you see is more detected crime, more offenders being taken into custody, we expect that trend to continue,” he said.
The second disappointment and of greater significance in the message from Deputy Commissioner Patten is that it suggests that we are likely to have more of the same, ”lock-em-up” attitude, for the next decade at least.
Former Chief Commissioner Ken Lay was once quoted as saying, “You can’t arrest your way out of it,” when referring to the drug problem but his wise words apply to the broader question of crime equally.
The Community Advocacy Alliance (CAA), until these comments by Patten, was confident that a new generation of leaders, from whom the next Chief Commissioner we would hope is selected, were of a more modern and enlightened genre of Policing where prevention and community, and, in particular, youth interactions were a priority. A Police Force where the ‘Peelian Principles’ of prevention being better than cure was applied and understood.
It is sad, but many leaders in Vicpol just do not get it.
More police making an arrest rather than patrolling/interacting to reduce crime is a recipe for more crime.
More arrests mean more crime because they are doing nothing about reducing the offending in the first place and simply waiting for people to commit a crime and then taking action (Reactive Policing).
Interacting with the community and maintaining that interaction/presence will do more to reduce crime than all the Police in the world chasing crooks.
The current reactive style of Policing was shelved in the seventies because it does not work but here we are heading towards twenty years since former Chief Commissioner Nixon started dismantling the ProActive functions of Victoria Police and the upcoming leaders still have not cottoned on.
It is a bit like the adage, ’doing the same thing tomorrow and expecting a different result’. Or is that a definition of something?