More cops call

By Mara Pattison-Sowden
THE State Government has been told to step up to the plate on policing as Upper Yarra police combat hoon drivers and the latest statistics show that crime is steady in the area.
Crime statistics obtained by the Opposition under Freedom of Information for the Gembrook electorate showed that theft and assault continued to be an issue for police between Wandin and Warburton, but the road toll was a higher priority.
Yarra Ranges Highway Patrol’s Sergeant John Morgan said recent operations had proven successful, although police were still recording some ridiculous speeds from drivers.
“We’ve been saturating the highways, and overall the traffic seems to be adhering to what we’re saying to them,” he said.
Sgt Morgan said groups of drivers were meeting around Mt Donna Buang where they were drifting down the hill or doing doughnuts in the car park.
“The problem is when they have 30 or 40 standing around watching their mates doing it, it’s only a matter of time before they’ll run someone over,” he said.
Warburton police have impounded four cars in the past month around Mt Donna Buang.
Leading Senior Constable Kevin Bishop said an operation conducted during August saw 47 drivers charged, and 10 people charged with careless driving.
“It’s a beautiful place and there to be enjoyed, but all this sort of behaviour won’t be tolerated,” he said.
Leading Sen Const Bishop said two of the cars impounded were driven by P-platers.
Upper Yarra Community Voice president Glennice Mathers said she believed the majority of hoon drivers were tourists.
“You’ve only got to look at them coming through Yarra Junction and it’s the mates of locals,” she said.
“You only have to take in the big spate of robberies – why would all our local businesses be broken into if it was our hoons?”
Ms Mathers said the police were doing the best they could with what they had, but the government needed to provide more police for the Upper Yarra.
“We’ve got this fantastic station with no cops in it – we need to have a 24-hour station. The police want to be able to do something about all this,” she said.
Ms Mathers said she wasn’t sure how hoons could be made to get the message about dangerous driving behaviour.
“You cannot make any youth do anything, you have to make them want to do it,” she said.
Crime statistics obtained by postcode show the total crime in Warburton, Warburton East and Cambarville had increased from 240 in 2007/08 to 265 in 2008/09.
Crime in Yarra Junction and Powelltown had increased from 140 to 145 crimes per financial year, and Wandin, Wandin East, Wandin North and Wandin Yallock crime had decreased from 326 to 301 crimes between 2007/08 and 2008/09.
Drug offences had decreased around these areas, and Yarra Junction/Powelltown was one of the lowest areas for drug offences with just three recorded in the last financial year.