Train pain

By Lilly O’Gorman
AN assault on a teen last week is the latest incident cementing Pakenham Train Station as the town’s most “high risk” area, according to police.
Police are cracking down on the station and putting new strategies in place after the area was profiled and shown to be the worst in the area for police incidences over the last year.
Police are developing a long term strategy to once and for all rid the Pakenham Station of its bad reputation.
Regular patrols are in place and police are recording the times and types of incidences being attended.
On Friday 27 July at about 4.30pm, a 17-year-old boy was assaulted by a group of teenagers in Bourke Park, opposite the train station.
The victim was near the stage area when he was approached by a group of male and female youths aged around 15 and 16 years old who began provoking him.
He was pushed into the corner of the stage and one of the female group members punched him several times in the stomach.
He received minor injuries, including cuts to his face.
The youths then left the scene. Police are unsure how many were in the group.
Senior Sergeant Trevor Vondrasek said the assault was indicative of the types of incidences which regular occurred near the train station.
“Over the last three months we’ve realised it has been a bit of an ingrained thing and seems to happen fairly regularly,” Sen Sgt Vondrasek said.
The Divisional Information Unit in Dandenong profiled police incidences in the area over the past year and deemed it to be a ‘high risk community location’.
“So we’re putting more resources into more patrols and we will be monitoring the impact of those patrols,” he said.
“It is a new strategy; we’re really tasking the area and recording the impact we’re having.”
“We have in the past utilized Safe Suburbs crews from Dandenong and the Transit Police to assist and we will be calling on them in the future.
“We want to discourage, deter and remove anti-social behaviour and the public perception (that the area is dangerous).
Sen Sgt Vondrasek said the station’s proximity to the shopping precinct, bus stop and hotel all contributed to the high amount of incidences.
“It’s fairly transient, with people coming through and congregating as well. It is the hub of transport, the hotel is within the area and it is adjacent to the shopping precinct.
“Add that all together and that’s a fairly high incidence of people.”
Sen Sgt Vondrasek said police are calling for feedback from the community stakeholders including from bus companies, Metro, The Pakenham Hotel, retailers and Cardinia Shire Council.