Ballarat’s former top cop calls for more highway patrol members

Former chief inspector Bob Barby believes the introduction of the “two-up” safety policy in all highway patrol units has resulted in a significant shortfall of officers on our roads.

He said there were currently only 10 Ballarat highway patrol members, the same figure has a decade ago.  

Mr Barby believes the staffing shortage, combined with an increase in crime and safety issues, resulted in half the number of officers and a reduced effectiveness of the highway patrol unit.

“Ballarat is one of the busiest regional cities in the country, has one of the highest fatal and injury accident rates in Victoria and has a constant problem with drug-driving, unlicensed, disqualified and hoon driving,” Mr Barby said. 

He believes the Ballarat community becomes totally disconcerted when police either fail or are unable to deal with issues.

The Courier recently reported on a police operation which detected 50 unlicensed and disqualified drivers over a few days in the Ballarat area. Mr Barby believes this figure reinforces the fact a major road safety problem is not being adequately addressed.

Victoria Police’s operational safety policy was developed in consultation with the Police Association to improve officer safety.

Mr Barby said the recently introduced police policy meant highway patrol units must be manned by two police members.

 “In the past they could work one-up on most shifts except perhaps weekends at night. This means the highway patrol capabilities have been reduced by half and on some days they may not even get a unit on the road.”

Police Association secretary Ron Iddles acknowledged a reduction of highway patrol members was a necessary consequence to ensure officer safety.

“When you have police vehicles being rammed every few days, officers assaulted and the ever-present threat of terrorism it follows that you must do everything possible to keep your people safe at work,” Mr Iddles said. “There is a lot about street policing that you can’t control,  but having a partner to watch your back and provide immediate assistance is something that you can.”

Police Minister Lisa Neville said the state government had funded an extra 1300 highway patrol shifts in late 2016, in the lead up to the Christmas period. She added the Victoria Police two-up policy would ensure police were safe on the job.