Page 4092 - Week 13 - Thursday, 10 November 1994
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COUNTRY TOWN POLICING - TRIAL COMMUNITY POLICING PROGRAM
Paper
Debate resumed from 12 October 1994, on motion by Mr Connolly:
That the Assembly takes note of the paper.
MS SZUTY (4.49): Madam Speaker, this is another initiative of the Government which I welcome. The Minister said in his tabling speech:
The concept involves the stationing of an experienced police officer in the specific area or suburb to allow them to dedicate their resources to that particular community.
I have a strong belief that it is to the benefit of all Canberrans to live in cohesive communities with a strong sense of local identity. While there is, to some degree, what I call a sense of community in a number of neighbourhoods in Canberra, unfortunately, it is by no means always the case. I believe that it is appropriate that, whenever possible, government policies should seek to foster and develop this sense of community.
This is the additional context in which I welcome the country town policing program. I believe that this program has the potential to deliver, in addition to the benefits identified in the booklet "Country Town Policing", the strengthening of the sense of community within those areas or suburbs where police officers are stationed. On this ground alone, I see the concept of country town policing having significant merit. I would suggest to the Attorney-General that perhaps an additional criterion be included when the trial is evaluated, namely, the degree to which the sense of community has been enhanced in both Kaleen and Campbell and Ainslie during the 12 months of the trial.
Turning to the concept of country town policing, as outlined in the booklet, I found the most telling argument for this approach a quote from a country police officer, namely:
In the country we police people; in the city we police crimes.
The Chief Police Officer for the ACT, Peter Dawson, said in the preface to the booklet:
The concept of "Country Town Policing" was conceived as the best and most cost-effective means of meeting the community's expectation for the provision of a police service additional to that of the traditional services of "response" and "investigation". While the traditional services are fundamental to policing, they are clearly ineffective in satisfying the pressing community need for a reduction in crime and improving public safety.
The concept is not new. In my view, the best in policing can be experienced in hundreds of small country towns throughout Australia where the country town "copper" and the townsfolk work together to maintain a peaceful community.
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