Waverley Council joins force with police

Waverley Council has launched a new community liaison vehicle in conjunction with the Eastern Suburbs Local Area Command amid an increase in levels of petty crime and alcohol-related incidents.

The vehicle will be supplied to the Crime Management Unit and primarily be used by the Crime Prevention Officer and Youth Liaison Officer to assist them with attending community engagement programs.

Mayor Sally Betts said Council and the police are working closely together to combat criminal activity.

“The new police vehicle is a fantastic example of us working together to strengthen our partnership and show our mutual commitment to providing a safe and comfortable environment for our residents and visitors to enjoy,” she said.

Waverley Councillor and Chair of the Community Safety Committee, Angela Burrill considers the community liaison vehicle “as an excellent initiative which will assist in reducing anti-social behaviour in Waverley”.

“It will allow the police to have more of a physical presence in the municipality and gives them more flexibility, and another tool to improve community safety,” she said.

Superintendent Jason Box from the Eastern Suburbs Local Area Command (LAC) said police have worked collaboratively with Council on a number of issues affecting the local community for positive outcomes.

“The provision of the sponsor car to our Crime Management Unit to assist with their duties is a further example of Council commitment to work closely with us to serve the community,” he said.

However, there have been concerns raised recently about the increase in levels of petty crime and alcohol-related incidents around the hotspots of Bondi Junction and Bondi Beach.

Bondi Junction resident Danielle Ecuyer said alcohol abuse continued to disrupt the community.

“Alcohol is a major issue still in the Waverley area … Whilst there is still extended trading hours post midnight the area will suffer from anti-social behaviour,” she said.

Ms Ecuyer believes the launch of the community liason vehicle is a diversion away from “really addressing crime statistics”. She labelled the vehicle as “just a PR exercise”.

However, Inspector Styles of the Eastern Suburbs LAC assured Waverley residents that alcohol-related incidents had been targeted.

“With the ongoing deployment and monitoring of licensed premises, particularly in and around closing hours, strong police presence has been created that has already reduced alcohol-related crime,” he said.

Moreover, alcohol consumption in public places has also been on the rise.

Ms Betts revealed a police blitz run before Christmas showed that “foreign visitors were unaware alcohol was banned along the beach and bigger signs needed to be installed before Australia Day to ensure they were aware”.

Councillor Ingrid Strewe lamented the introduction of ‘no drinking signs’ in parks.

“Council put up no drinking signs in our parks and failed to ensure there was no drinking; I’m not sure why they bothered with the signs,” she said.

But Ms Strewe was adamant the local residents were generally orderly in their behaviour.

“I think some intoxicated locals pulled out the plants around the new playground at Bronte over the Australia Day weekend – that’s very annoying but hardly a crime wave,” she said.

Inspector Styles said “the police continue to work in partnership with Council rangers to ensure high visibility in and around park areas”.

Retail theft in Westfield Bondi Junction has also been on the rise. Figures reveal that Waverley is ranked seven out of 154 of Local Government Areas with a population greater than 3,000 for retail theft incidents.

Liquor offences in Waverley rank the municipality 18 out of 154 Local Government Areas.

While these crime figures are of concern, Ms Betts said there were no serious crimes. “We don’t have any of our pubs in the top bracket, petty theft is probably the worst and due to the popularity of the area there remains some drinking issues,” she said.

“Waverley is already a safe place and with an ageing population. We just want to make it safer with an enhanced police presence.”

It is hoped the new community liaison vehicle will be a proactive step in increasing police presence and reducing crime in Waverley while also providing a source of education.