‘Eye spy’ a key issue

By Tania Martin
EMERALD’S need for an eye on crime could be made into a key Federal Government election issue in the lead-up to the polls.
Home Affairs Minister Brendan O’Connor last week visited the town with Labor candidate for La Trobe, Laura Smyth, speaking to traders about ongoing concerns over crime and the need for Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras.
For the past five months, traders have been calling for cameras to be installed to combat crime in the town.
It followed a spate of break-ins in December and January, which included an ATM being stolen from the Paradise Hotel in Clematis.
Mr O’Connor said crime was a big issue in every community across the country.
He said in 2007, the Rudd Government promised to spend $15 million on a Safer Suburbs program, which had been a big success.
Mr O’Connor said although the program had finished, it was being reassessed.
He asked Emerald traders to put together a costing for CCTV cameras for his office to assess.
Emerald Pharmacy’s Louise Lammers said although Emerald was mostly faced with low level crime such as graffiti, and kids hanging around the streets throwing stones, it was still a problem.
She said one of the biggest problems was many youths knew when the police were not in town, and took advantage of such.
Despite offenders being apprehended for a spate of break-ins earlier this year, Ms Lammers said locals were still worried about crime.
Resident security expert Daniel Moulday said there were a number of options available to traders for cameras.
But he said one of the best options would be the PTZ, which was a moving camera.
Mr Moulday said a fixed camera would be placed at one of the shops and if there was movement in one of the shops in the main street after 2am, it could zoom in and see what is happening.
Mr O’Connor said the government was again looking at the Safer Suburbs in the lead-up to the election, but this time would be looking at medium-level crimes.