By Corey Everitt
Recent crime stats has shown the little town of Lang Lang has a not so little rise in crime, prompting the community and local MP to initiate a petition for more police presence which will soon head for State Parliament.
The community has been pushing for more cops in Lang Lang ever since the manning of its station became significantly reduced nine years ago.
Concerns that crime was on the rise were confirmed recently as the latest stats from the Crime Statistics Agency saw Lang Lang’s criminal offences almost double in 2023 compared to 2022. More precisely, offences against the person have jumped by over 200 percent.
The petition is sponsored by Eastern Victoria MP Melina Bath and is set to be tabled in the State Legislative Council.
It calls on the State Government to “boost police presence in town through increased patrols and extended opening hours of the town’s police station”.
It also calls on the State Government to assist Cardinia Shire Council in installing CCTV cameras in the town centre as “a deterrent against increased crime in Lang Lang”.
Eastern Victoria MP Melina Bath and Councillor Kaye Cameron have jumped on board the communities efforts and assisted them with initiating the petition in this time as crime rises.
“Those stats actually show that there has been an increase over the last nine years and in just the last year,” Ms Bath said.
“What we need to see is an increase in those hours and an increase of police officers on the beat,” Ms Bath said.
“Showing that presence there and being responsive to the need, and also the deterrent that having police officers walking down the street can have.”
Local Brian Candy has been one of the spearheads for the campaign ever since the police station was effectively closed nine years ago and reduced to only six hours reception every week.
“If you asked each person, what’s the one thing we really need here, it’s a bit more policing, a bit more security, living here without fear,” Mr Candy said.
“I’m of the belief that if we don’t stand up for it now then we have no hope in the next five years.”
Victoria Police and the State Government have argued that towns like Lang Lang get the best response with more police on patrol in wider areas, an open station or not, there is always an officer nearby ready to take a call.
However, the reality is reported differently in Lang Lang. Mr Candy told of an incident recently where an individual was acting reckless and damaging property in town, even the police station building.
He reported having to wait an hour for a response and says this is so common to calls in town that many don’t bother calling at all.
“People have got used to not ringing because they know no one’s coming,” Mr Candy said.
“This has been our harshest thing, when people lose confidence in the triple 0 call, what do you do?”
Thefts, property damage, dangerous driving and much more have been noticed by locals. Local Jan McGregor remembers how this could be handled so differently by just the presence of a single officer.
“I can remember when I was growing up our local policeman lived here and he would walk around here in his uniform and you would know if you were misbehaving he would be able to see that, he would be able to go and report to your parents,” she said.
“That’s what’s missing today.”
Cr Cameron said how many incidents are occurring beyond just what is seen and said how important it is for an authority to be present to handle them.
“It’s not just the actual township of Lang Lang, it’s all the surrounding area, theft from farm buildings has gone up,” Cr Cameron said.
“It’s not just that anti-social behaviour, it’s offences against property, graffiti for instance, breaking and entering, robberies all that sort of thing, and it’s domestic violence, crimes against children.”
“How do we know that kids are being treated well, but the local man on the ground would know all that sort of stuff because people come and speak to him.”
Responding to the issue earlier this month a State Government spokesperson said, “the recent Report on Government Services shows we have more police on the beat than any other state or territory – including the 225 new police that have been deployed to the Dandenong division which services Lang Lang.”
The petition will be available to sign throughout business in Lang Lang including the Bakery, IGA and Lang Lang Community Centre. A stall for the petition will also be available at the Lang Lang Show on Easter Monday 1 April.
An online version of the petition can be found at parliament.vic.gov.au/get-involved/petitions/boost-police-presence-in-lang-lang/
The petition is expected to be tabled in September.
