Drug abuse and youth offending rank as the biggest crime concerns for residents in Ballarat, according to a survey by Victoria Police, but most think it is a safe city to live in.
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The new report, which collected the views of more than 2740 people, was based on an operation in December where Ballarat’s top police bucked tradition and rode V/Line trains to hand out questionnaires instead of hosting town hall-style meetings.
The survey asked people how officers should respond to problems that affect them, with most listing drugs and young criminals as major worries and calling for increased patrols across the CBD and suburbs.
Inspector Dan Davison, who has been in charge of Ballarat’s frontline police since starting the job in November, said on Friday the results will be used when allocating resources and called on residents to “keep the conversation going” with the force.
“I want to say a massive thanks to everyone who completed the survey, the response from the public has exceeded my expectations,” he said.
“Ballarat can certainly expect to hear a lot more from us over the next six months, and we will be working hard to address your concerns.
“We wouldn’t have got 2700 plus people turning up at a town hall, nor would we have been able to get the views of such a wider demographic with different ages.”
Information collected by police in the survey will also strengthen the work of Ballarat City Council’s Community Safety Advisory Committee.
It came after the Victorian government chose Ballarat as one of 12 crime hot spots across the state to receive $50,000 in funding to give residents a louder voice on how to best crack down on crime.
Inspector Davison confirmed that increased bike and foot patrols would remain in coming months.
“Coming into this new role, it was a great time to conduct this survey, because it has given me a sense of how the community feels and what areas we can now focus on," he said.
“It’s refreshing to see we’re on the right track with going back to basics, making sure we’ve got police out on the streets, mixing it with the public and being where they want us. I’m really keen to continue them.”
The findings of the survey were in a stark contrast to what many perceived was the main crime issue in Ballarat: offenders breaking into houses while people sleep to find keys before stealing cars.
Anecdotal evidence suggested drugs were linked to many aggravated burglaries, with sources saying ice pipes and syringes were often uncovered in seized vehicles.
However, despite increased media reporting of crime, the vast majority of Ballarat residents said they felt safe in the city.
Inspector Davison said it was "business as usual" when policing drugs, with specialised detectives working to bust trafficking networks.
Residents also raised concerns about youth gangs, but Inspector Davison questioned whether increased Melbourne media reporting over the summer had inflated that perception.
"Yes, we have youths who sometimes commit crimes when they’re with another person,” he said.
“But does this form a gang? I wouldn't have thought so – they're not highly sophisticated networks.”
Inspector Davison said police valued tip offs from the public and called on people to report crime anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
“The response that was really satisfying for me, as a new local area commander, was that 77 per cent of respondents said they felt Ballarat was a safe place to live in.
“Let’s now continue a dialogue in relation to your voice and your concerns.
“Ballarat police, from stations in the city to out around the country, are now open for business.”