From the desk of ROLAND ROCCHICCIOLI

VICTORIA Police did not create, nor is it responsible for, the crime rate. It is counterproductive to blame them for society’s every supposable malaise. Crime — in its multifarious patterns — is generated by our neighbours, brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, and children — that disagreeable collective who elect to squander their lives on the wrong side of the law. They should be the focus of our unadulterated fury — not the police. It is they who are left to restore order.

Vexation accepted, it is an exercise in futility for property-crime victims to posit: “I am outraged!” It does nothing to advance the narrative, or lead to a satisfactory resolution. It propagates harmful fallacies.

Incandescent outrage often provides a stimulus for change; conversely, while it may spotlight a transgression and motivate action, it has the linguistic capability to generate defensiveness and detrimental polarisation; the power to thwart constructive dialogue. It is even more corrosive when it is erroneously misguided.

Effective policing is not ‘them-and-us’. It is a communal endeavour. Everyone has an important role to play. Collectively, we need to show a determined willing to assist police in their application of law enforcing protocols and methodologies. It is they who keep us safe in our beds. While the uniform symbolises their authority, they are, outside of their crucial public service, a fellow Australian with a wife/husband/partner, and children. They are not a caste apart. They are one of us — sharing the same collective concerns and frustrations.

Categorically, Victoria is no more, nor less, safe than other of the Nation’s states. Philosophically, it is time to effect community attitudinal change; however, vigilantism and complaining are not the answers. Unequivocally, employing evidenced based techniques will correct the pendulum swing. The world is nuanced. Criminality is attributable to collective societal apathy.

Police are “damned if they do, or if they don’t”. When offenders are foiled, disparaging civil libertarians bellow negatively: “It’s a police state”. Left unbridled, they whinge: “What are the police doing?” Police are abused and attacked at protest rallies; pelted with excrement. There is a lack of regard across society. An erstwhile profound spirit-of-community has vanished. Antisocial behaviour proliferates. Zealots and conspiratorialists have contaminated systems of government, espousing bogus theories and pursuing personal, dangerous ideologies. Dissidents and non-conformists thrive and persist, ostensibly unopposed.

The administration of the law is challenging; however, magistrates need be cognisant of the public’s expectation for judicious deliberation; to err on the side of caution. There is a perception of wrongdoer favouritism. Bail is granted, too freely, and bafflingly. Defence advocates’ risible reasoning in Magistrates’ Courts should be challenged more forcefully — and derided more stridently.

The traditional family construct has distorted, adversely. Established social customs and conventions have been thoughtlessly discarded. An absence of parental efficacy is scaring. Criminal juvenile delinquency is alarming. The laissez-faire template comes at a heavy communal price

Social prophylaxis predominates – the tendency to walk-away, mumbling: “not my circus — not my monkeys!” is alarming.

Communal discord hinders collaboration and breeds suspicion. We are the final ingredient in the problematic policing processes. We need to be their ‘eyes-and-ears’; to inform; to recognise our public tardiness; to stop blaming police; and to resolve to assist police in bringing-to-heel those who are wittingly damaging our way-of-life.

Roland can be heard with Brett Macdonald radio 3BA — Monday 10.40am. Contact: [email protected]