Page 1489 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 10 May 2006
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wonder why the deployment of the differential number of RBT patrols previously deployed, which are now deployed into non-focus areas, might still not usefully snag offenders committing other offences. On the one hand, we are decrying a deteriorating police presence on our roads but we see the cutting of thousands of RBT patrols. What will a future police agreement state re the need for RBTs and other patrols? Will a new police agreement quantify the need for RBT police patrols in a more quantifiable way than the old agreement did?
There are a number of other areas. Let us have a look at the statistics of property offences in the 2004-05 annual report. The number of burglary offences in dwellings reported was 2,935; the number cleared totalled 180 and only 6.1 per cent of dwelling burglaries were cleared. The total burglary offences reported was 4,406; the number cleared was 336, and only a lousy 7.6 per cent were cleared.
Vehicle offences reported totalled 1,797; the number cleared was 172, and 9.6 per cent were cleared. The total theft or illegal use of vehicle offences reported was 2,387; the number cleared was 186, and 7.8 per cent were cleared. Those are very alarming figures. What do the reviews we are chasing here today state about these clear-up rates versus the number of police available to clear them up? What is the answer?
I refer now to the road toll. While the annual accident rate continues at a steady 10,000 or so, the alarming thing is that the number of fatal road accidents and accidents causing serious injuries has doubled. That means that the intensity of road accidents has increased, or the reckless minority normally contributing to or causing road accidents are driving more recklessly and behaving with impunity.
My gut feeling, as a driver burning up many kilometres on our roads, is that people driving over the speed limit at any time of the day, particularly during peak times, over the last three years have doubled their over-the-limit speed. This is from anecdotal information and feelings I get from colleagues, friends and constituents. I would put it to you that this is because the police presence on our roads over the last three or four years has declined.
The best education for the public is the visible presence of police, presenting the threat of pursuit and roadside detention. This is the only language that the minority of recidivist, reckless drivers understand. Again, what do the reviews say about a road police presence? What demands, if any, will the police agreement lay down re the visible presence of road police?
I turn now to the most important activity group that tests police capability—shopping centre crime. There are simply not enough officers to proactively patrol our suburbs, streets and shopping centres. There are not enough officers to act as a reminder or deterrent to criminal behaviour, and many people act with impunity.
In my travels to the shopping centres known to have suffered regularly from crime, I have asked the following stock standard question: while I imagine, Mr Shopkeeper or Mrs Shopkeeper, you have had police respond to the crimes committed here, response to crime aside, when was the last time you saw a regional policeman in this shopping centre talking to shopkeepers and customers on a proactive, come and see what is happening and gather the intelligence basis? Astoundingly the answers from shopkeepers in Red
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