Cop that, Ranges

BOOSTS to police numbers could put more pressure on senior members already stretched to the limit, according to Dandenong Ranges campaigner Shaddy Cameron.
“It’s wonderful to have the extra manpower,” she told the Gazette last week.
“But I’d like to see them get more training.”
This followed the announcement of $602 million in the State Budget for the largest ever police force boost in a single Victorian Government term.
It would see 1700 extra police on the street by 2014.
Ms Cameron’s husband Ian is a former police officer and she was vocal during the Police Association’s SOS – Save Our Streets campaign, collecting signatures on a petition calling for more cops.
She welcomed cash for more police, but said recruits used to go from the Police Academy to Russell Street to work under senior officers before hitting the streets.
Today they go straight to suburban stations where sergeants “hold their hand”.
“The sergeants have to babysit,” Ms Cameron said.
She said sergeants were already under the pump managing short-staffed stations.
“They’re worn out because there’s not many of them,” she said.
“They take so much responsibility without then supervising new recruits.”
Police Association secretary Senior Sergeant Greg Davies echoed Ms Cameron’s concerns.
“We have concerns that the placement of constables, after 12 weeks training, into police stations will place an additional burden on current members who are extremely busy,” he said.
“We hope that the force will monitor this process very closely and have the adaptability in the planning to change it should problems emerge.”
But Gembrook MP and former police officer Brad Battin said police recruits were put through an intensive training program at the academy that reflected situations they would face at a station.
“The training a recruit receives is world class, and does not end when walking out of the graduation after 23 weeks,” he said.
Mr Battin said all recruits completed two years of training post-academy, including specific on the job training from the local members at stations they worked in.
“Each station has leading senior constables and sergeants who work with and supervise the training officers during this two-year period,” he said.
“All training officers return to the academy during the two years for further training and an opportunity to display the skills they learn when confronted by offenders or dealing with domestic violence.”
Mr Battin graduated from the academy in 2001.
“I know the training each member gets prepares them for the career they chose,” he said.
“And the support within the stations from peers to local management will assist in the long term of making Victoria safe again.
“The Coalition committed to 1700 new police for our streets, and we will deliver 1700 new high quality, and highly trained police for the community.”