New police powers to tackle hooligans

CARDINIA Police has been given the power to enforce local laws in the Cardinia Shire in an effort to cut down on antisocial behaviour.
The new powers have already been used by police officers in Pakenham and Emerald.
Officer in charge of Pakenham police station, Senior Sergeant Trevor Teer, said that being authorised to enforce local laws gave police another option when dealing with troublemakers in and around Pakenham’s central business district.
“Youths hanging around the Pakenham CBD drinking and causing trouble is a community problem and not merely a police problem,” he said
Police officers began using the new powers over the festive season.
Pakenham Police officers issued 12 council penalty notices to people in possession of open containers of alcohol, at the Emerald Carols by Candlelight.
Sen Sgt Teer said the alcohol was either sized or emptied and this resulted in the night being troublefree and enjoyable.
Cardinia local laws officer John Van Rensch briefed 16 uniformed officers last week on the new powers.
“Officers were provided with copies of the local laws and had the technicalities of policing explained,” Mr Van Rensch said.
The penalty notices involve a $200 on the spot fine for offences such as drinking in a public place or antisocial behaviour which then is administered by the council’s local laws section. “There is then 28 days for the person to pay the fine,” he said.
Mr Van Rensch said police being able to use the local laws to get people to move along and having the power to issue an infringement if they don’t respond, was likely to be a good deterrent.
He said people who fail to pay fines were summoned to appear in court.
Acting Sergeant Stuart Halligan said the new powers were being used on the beat with 13 council notices issued on New Year’s Eve for antisocial behaviour in the Pakenham CBD.
Sen Sgt Teer said Pakenham Police were working closely with Cardinia local laws officers in an effort to maintain community safety in Cardinia.
Mr Van Rensch said the council’s local laws team had a good relationship with local police with good communication on a regular basis.