I have long been a passionate advocate for the safety of our community.
From before being elected to council, and having since had the honour of being elected, this continues to be something I will drive as a priority for our community.
In recent months we have seen crime numbers on the rise, with safety becoming an even higher priority for our community.
While actively policing these issues is not a direct responsibility of council, it is our job to make the voices of our community heard.
And what I have heard is people are feeling unsafe.
Our police do a fantastic job, but there is only so much they can do.
That’s why it has been great to see some proactive measures taking place in recent weeks to try to address some of the community’s concerns.
It has also been important for the Hobsons Bay Local Safety Committee to be relaunched.
Co-chaired by Hobsons Bay Mayor Daria Kellander and Local Area Commander, Inspector Damien Madden, the committee is a great way for police, council and community groups to talk about safety concerns, and find ways to create a safer community.
And while still in its infancy, it’s exciting to have a Hobsons Bay Neighbourhood Watch gearing up again.
This community-led group will be great way to enfranchise our community members, with a focus on crime prevention to boost safety.
It is an initiative that we as council and Victoria Police are very supportive of.
Our relationship with our brave police is such an important one, which is why I’m also thrilled to see Coffee with a Cop sessions continuing to thrive.
You can enjoy a free coffee at these sessions and enjoy a friendly chat with local police officers, asking questions you might have, discussing issues or just getting to know more about those who are looking out for us every day.
Five more sessions are planned across Hobsons Bay for the rest of the year, head to hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/CoffeeWithACop to find one near you.
And finally, Victoria Police are proposing to hold a public forum on community safety in November.
We look forward to hearing more about that and having the opportunity to get together further with our community on this very important issue.
