“Forgotten” Drysdale residents demand more police

DRYSDALE residents are calling on action from Bellarine MP Lisa Neville, claiming she has forgotten them.

Following an increase in reports of crime, locals are now demanding a permanent police presence in the small town.

In 2014, Ms Neville led protests against the slashing of hours at the Drysdale Police Station, which resulted in the station being closed five days a week.

At the time, residents were concerned that the new hours would see them left behind with the nearest full-time station located in Ocean Grove.

Ms Neville has been the Minister for Police and Emergency Services since 2016, but residents now say she has forgotten about them.

“She was not Minister for Police at that time, but she is now,” Drysdale local Richard Robert said.

“If she was concerned then, now she has the opportunity to do something about it.”

Mr Robert said without full-time police presence, hoons had begun to feel confident.

“The increase in crime reported on the Drysdale and Clifton Springs Community Page (on Facebook) along with the hoons driving dangerously worries a great number of residents.”

Since the slashing of staffed hours at the station, data from ‘id community’ shows an increase in the population from about 4,200 to almost 5,000 people.

Over the past year, the Crime Statistics Agency figures reveal a increase in crime from 173 to 227 incidents in the growing area.

Despite this, Ms Neville says she fully supports the work of local police who have proactively increased their presence on local streets, including Drysdale.

“In addition to the recent allocations to police in the Geelong region, an extra nine officers have recently been assigned to the north Bellarine.

“This will ensure extra patrols in Drysdale, Portarlington, St Leonards and Indented Head.”

She said more was already being done to combat crime along the Bellarine, particularly coming into the summer period with extra permanent police being allocated.

“The model is designed to reduce crime and ensure a greater police presence in our local communities.

“This was trialled last summer and the success in crime rate reduction and the local road toll, together with the positive community feedback, has seen a commitment to making this model permanent.”

Advice from Victoria Police states that requiring officers to staff stations reduces their ability to conduct community-based policing or respond to incidents.

Drysdale Station will remain open on Tuesdays for community access.