more good news
I wanted to email you about an important community safety announcement I made today with the Minister for Police, Bob Cameron and the Attorney General, Rob Hulls.
I am very pleased to let you know that our Government will deliver 1,966 additional frontline police over the next five years, to make our streets and our communities even safer.
View a video of the announcement
This is the biggest single one-off boost to police numbers in Victorian history.
Investing in more police is the best way to keep our communities safe – and our Government has a strong track record of delivering on its promises to increase numbers of frontline police. Between 1999 and the end of 2006, 1400 additional police were added to Victoria Police – and the Government is well on its way to delivering the 350 additional police promised at the last election.
On top of this, earlier this year we provided an extra 120 police officers to the force so Chief Commissioner Overland could establish the new Operational Response Unit.
And this is getting results - Victoria’s crime rate has fallen 25.5 per cent since 2000/01.
Police have also been given additional powers to tackle crime with tougher powers to randomly search people for knives and other weapons, tougher powers to move or ban troublemakers from entertainment precincts and some of the toughest anti-hoon laws in Australia.
Details of this announcement can be found at: http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/component/co...icle/10155.html
Victoria is the safest State in Australia, but we want to drive down crime even further, so that Victorians not only are safe, but they feel safe.
John Brumby
Premier of Victoria