Extra officers on the way to Surf Coast

POLICE stations across the Surf Coast will receive a welcome boost in numbers over the rest of the year, as out-of-town visitors and schoolies prepare to visit the municipality during the warmer months.

The growth both in locals and tourists has meant a growth in demand for police in the area, so the Surf Coast will be getting one of the biggest influxes of additional police in the state.

“It will completely change the way we are able to do our policing down here, which is fantastic,” Senior Sergeant Adrian Bickley said.

“It means we can be more proactive, adaptive and evolve to respond effectively to meet community needs and expectations.

“We will have opportunities to target local issues such as road trauma by using our additional officers in traffic operations along our coastal roads.”

Torquay Police Station currently has 22 frontline officers, and that will soon almost double.

Both the Lorne and Anglesea police stations are also preparing to receive more officers, as part of the Victorian Government’s funding for 502 extra police.

Surf Coast police officers are looking forward to their interactions with people who may be enjoying a holiday or a music festival.

Schoolies in Victoria starts from mid-November, soon after the last of the Year 12 exams, with Lorne and Torquay well established as popular destinations.

Leading Senior Constable Steve Wrigley is one of the local officers who will assist graduating students during their post-Year 12 celebrations.

The simple act of dropping by at the start of the schoolies celebration week allows officers to introduce themselves, set some standards, and remind partygoers they can call on police if they need any help.

“We just want to make sure they are safe,” Leading Senior Constable Wrigley said.

“Hopefully they take that on board as they enter adulthood and think, ‘The police aren’t too bad. They’re just like us. They’re just people wearing uniforms’.”