Lakes Entrance Police are determined to connect more with community in a bid to work collaboratively with the public in solving and averting crimes.
A new initiative called ‘CommConnect’ is about getting back to basics in policing and engaging with the community.
The new community engagement strategy has been instigated at the behest of the Chief Commissioner of Police who believes that better relationships with the people who live in communities will aid crime prevention.
Lakes Entrance police station commander, Senior Sergeant Matthew Jenkins, fully supports the Police Commissioner’s directive.
“I’ve been a country copper all my career and working in isolated and remote areas, I cannot agree more,” Snr Sgt Jenkins said.
“I would like to see police working with community groups where we can.”
As part of the strategy to strengthen relationships with the communities Lakes Entrance police oversees, Snr Sgt Jenkins has devised a plan which will see individual police officers actively engaging with particular communities.
Each of the three sergeants at Lakes Entrance police station will now be responsible for a response area.
Sergeant Geoff Burnett has responsibility for the central sector of Lakes Entrance, including the CBD.
Sergeant David Armistead has been handed the east sector, which takes in Lake Tyers, Lake Bunga and Toorloo Arm, while Sergeant Trish Merrett will take charge of the west sector, which includes Kalimna, Metung and Swan Reach.
Snr Sgt Jenkins told the Post each Sergeant “will take ownership of their respective sectors, but still work as one across the zone”.
“I’m hoping this initiative will allow for a more personal connection with each of those communities,” Snr Sgt Jenkins said.
“We want to understand what the community feels and what they want,” he said.
Snr Sgt Jenkins says part of the strategy also provides for the community to provide feedback on “what they see as policing issues in their areas”.
“This can assist us with tasking for the station and units, but it also provides a police service that the community desires,” he said.
Snr Sgt Jenkins said he was hopeful that closer interactions with the community would help “clarify misconceptions in the community”.
Lakes police are also encouraging community members to send an email to lakesentrance.uni@police.vic.gov.au if they have any concerns or queries.
Snr Sgt Jenkins is at pains to point out that the email shouldn’t be used to report a crime (that should be done through the usual channels of dialing 000 if urgent or the police assistance line on 131 444 for non-urgent matters) but rather to raise any issues regarding policing expectations. For example, the opening of reception at the police station.
As part of their desire to work with the community and build trust in their relationships, Lakes police are happy to be a guest speaker at an event, such as sporting or school, if the need arises. Requests can also be emailed.
Snr Sgt Jenkins says the ultimate goal of this new approach to policing is to reduce crime.
“If we can have the confidence of the community in dealing with issues, we are more likely to achieve greater results,” he said.
Drug related crime and family violence remain significant issues for Lakes Entrance police.
“Family violence is still a massive issue in East Gippsland and Gippsland as a whole, while drug crime includes use, sale, manufacturing or growing drugs,” Snr Sgt Jenkins said.
“When you have drugs, you see thefts and deceptions, so that becomes a community problem.
“If we know about things before they happen, we have a better chance of dealing with it.”
IMAGE: Lakes Entrance police officers – Sergeant Geoff Burnet, Sergeant Trish Merrett, Snr Sgt Matthew Jenkins and Sgt David Armistead, have adopted a new way of policing the community in a bid to crack down on crime. K140-745
