Independent Crime Statistics Agency data confirms criminal offending and family violence has continued to rise as frontline policing resources have become increasingly stretched throughout Daniel Andrews’ botched COVID-19 response.
This rise in offending comes as 24 police stations were closed and fewer than one in four train stations were patrolled over recent months as hundreds of police and PSOs were redeployed to hotel quarantine, isolation checks and border closures.
Today’s data has confirmed a 2.3 per cent increase in offences recorded for the year ending December 2020, and follows similar increases in each of the March, June and September 2020 quarters with significant increases, including;
- Assault to police, emergency services or other authorised officer up 17.18 per cent
- Sexual offences against children up 88.43 per cent
- Drug offences up 20.28 per cent
- Dangerous driving up 25.58 per cent
- Firearms offences up 10.75 per cent
Of particular concern remains the ongoing rise in family violence during Labor’s lockdowns, with an increase of 9.4 per cent over the reporting period – or more than 21 additional family violence cases each and every day since the start of 2020.
This follows reports of a 20 per cent spike in cases of child to parent family violence and comes as many households may have faced increased difficulties in reporting or fleeing family violence.
With many police and PSOs still tied-up in the suspended hotel quarantine program, it’s clear Daniel Andrews’ failure to properly resource frontline officers has left vulnerable families and communities fending for themselves.
Comments attributable to Shadow Minister for Police and Community Safety, David Southwick:
“Daniel Andrews’ botched COVID-19 response has forced frontline police to clean up one mess after another and left vulnerable families fending for themselves.
“With police shopfronts closed and commuters facing a lucky dip on platforms, it’s little wonder why violent crime continues to rise in Victoria.
“Labor must urgently address rising family violence by getting police out of its suspended hotel quarantine program and back into the community.”
