Small regional communities are on the frontline of a proposed plan by the state government.
Under the proposed plan, single-man police stations in Victoria, including those in Katamatite and Tungamah, will be closed.
The proposal has raised the ire of State Member for Ovens Valley Tim McCurdy, who said their closure would be detrimental to the community.
“These small country towns often are too far away from any major centres for a response within a reasonable time,” Mr McCurdy said.
He said the proposed plan was just another example of regional Victorians being abandoned by the government in Melbourne.
“We need the decision-makers to come out to the country and actually experience what it means to live in a small country town,” Mr McCurdy said.
“Furthermore, police in small towns are more than just the local officer, but an integral part of the community, and have to balance the fine line of enforcing the law and being mates with locals.”
State Member for Northern Victorian Region Gaelle Broad has also taken aim at the proposal and said half of the single-man stations in the state were based in northern Victoria.
Ms Broad said she raised the issue in parliament, saying a plan by police command to change enterprise bargaining agreements would allow single-officer station staff to be used to fill vacant shifts in bigger stations.
“Once again, regional Victoria will bear the brunt of this government’s failure to manage,” she said.
Ms Broad urged the minister to assure local communities that one-member police stations would remain.
“People living in regional areas are tired of being treated like second-class citizens by the Labor Government,” she said.
“We heard evidence at the budget hearings in June that there are around 800 vacancies unfilled throughout Victoria Police. The government should be addressing these shortages, not robbing regional communities of their local police to fill the rosters at bigger stations.”
However, a Victorian Government spokesperson said the state government had delivered the biggest increase in the state’s history, with more than 3600 new police funded since 2016.
Victoria Police has sought to reassure local communities that any changes made will be to ensure better community safety.
“When a police station counter is closed, police are still available and on patrol 24 hours a day to respond to incidents and deter crime,” a Victoria Police spokesperson said.
“Victoria Police currently has about 800 police vacancies due to attrition, however there are currently hundreds of recruits progressing through the Police Academy.”
As for enterprising bargaining agreements, Victoria Police has refused to comment other than to confirm the negotiations for the next enterprise bargaining agreement have commenced.
“In the interests of good faith bargaining and maintaining the integrity of the bargaining process, Victoria Police will not provide a running commentary on specific matters which may be the subject of negotiation,” the spokesperson said.