Protective services officers will not be deployed to Westona railway station despite the state government’s promise to deploy them by next Saturday’s state election.
The revelation came at last week’s Hobsons Bay council meeting where the council confirmed its policy that CCTV cameras were the responsibility of Victoria Police.
However, the council said it might install cameras in individual cases, for example, to deter illegal rubbish dumping, or where they would be cost-neutral.
Council corporate services director David Anderson said he had been advised PSOs would not be deployed to Westona.
“We made deliberate inquiries as to whether there were any plans to do so, and the answer is ‘no’ at this stage,” he said.
“I’m aware there have been earlier statements in relation to the deployment of PSOs at Westona, but at this stage that obviously hasn’t been undertaken. At the moment there are no plans, but we will certainly pursue that … in light of the previous commitment or indication of such deployment.”
As reported by Star Weekly in May last year, Leading Senior Constable Craig McDonald said he believed PSOs at Westona station – which had been expected by last December – would help curb crime in Harrington Square shopping centre, opposite the station.
On July 20, 2012, the issue came to the fore after the near-fatal bashing of Jill Brookes inside her bookshop in the square. She is expected to need rehabilitation for the rest of her life and her assailant has not been caught.
Asked if the government had broken its promise to deploy PSOs at all stations before the election, a government spokesman said: “The Napthine government has delivered 950 PSOs across the rail network, 10 more than was promised. An extra 96 PSOs were promised and funded for earlier this year … the Napthine government committed to a 50-member PSO strike force if re-elected.”
