Relationship of police and community

Comments are regularly heard and reported from the Minister for Police, the Police Commissioner and from senior and junior officers who emphasise that crime cannot be reduced or in some cases solved, without the continued co-operation of the community. The Fitzgerald Report makes it clear however that the reverse is also true, ie that these leaders and their organisations must support the community specifically in this case, by their strong support for and commitment and assistance to the Community Consultative Councils.

The councils can and do provide an important and effective conduit between the police, the community and the government at both state and local authority levels, so important that it is the government's role to foster, support and maintain the necessary co-operation.

This Council strongly supports the Fitzgerald Report where in Section 8.3.2 (iv) it states "policing must again become a neighbourhood affair, where members of the community are familiar with locally based police officers and the officers and their families become part of the community that they serve. Community policing should become the primary policing strategy."

All regional commanders should be required to foster the formation of Councils in their area and report regularly to the Commissioner on the activities of the Council and the level of co-operation with local police. In support of the above, it is understood that in Victoria, the formation of the equivalent of Consultative Councils is compulsory in all police regions.

Related to the above and the success of the Police and Community Festival held in 1996 and its role in strengthening community policing, consideration should be given to repeating the Police and Community Festival concept in different locations perhaps every 2-5 years.

In regard to community relationships with police, our Council has become aware of several disturbing occurrences which, once reported at the appropriate level, appear to have been resolved. Some remain of continuing concern.

Amongst these is a reluctance to report activity of concern when it is recognised that without such reports, police cannot act. Instances include reluctance to report possible thefts, rape and disturbances as well as speeding and other illegal activity. Reasons given reflect a lack of confidence in police discretion, appropriate responses, anonymity and/or availability of police.