Leading Senior Constable Corey Holland discusses local issues with Dorothy Lyons, Bill McClelland and Robert Lyons. Photos: Jordan Townrow.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Echuca police officers joined community members at Echuca library on Tuesday, June 3, for a ‘Coffee With a Cop’ session.
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Residents had the chance to speak with six police officers from the Campaspe Service Area.
Detective Sergeant Adrian Staudt has a chat with Pat Griffiths and Elara, Tori and Athena Orr.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Senior Sergeant Damian Keegan said it was a great opportunity for police to hear about local issues and set priorities accordingly.
As residents could feel apprehensive about visiting a police station, Sen Sgt Keegan said residents sometimes did not report things they thought might be trivial.
“But it’s those things that we probably need to hear so we know that we’re putting resources in the right spot,” he said.
“It’s good just to find out where the community feel that their perception of safety is and where we need to work on and look at.”
Leading Senior Constable Corey Holland, Youth Specialist Officer Shane Roberts and Lisa Roberts.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Sen Sgt Keegan said the station tried to hold the events every three months or so and Tuesday’s event coincided with the launch of the fourth annual community sentiment survey.
The survey aims to gather detailed information on how safe residents feel, helping police make decisions on ways to improve protections.
Outcomes from previous surveys include improvements to CCTV in Echuca’s town centre and the recently launched lockers for rough sleepers at the town’s police station.
Senior Constable Xavier Clark and Constable Michael Hermin from Echuca police at the library session.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
“We’ve been doing a lot of work within the community with others and pushing on government, but a lot of larger businesses in the area have contributed as well,” Sen Sgt Keegan said.
Information from the survey also sets the agenda of the local safety committee and helps police understand the human impact of crime.
“We can have a look at crime statistics, but we’ve also got to take note of what happens within that — gather how crime affects individual people, and even individual cross-sections of the community,” Sen Sgt Keegan said.
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