Cr Sharon Cadwallader will move at today’s Ballina Shire Council meeting that more police be assigned to Ballina, and a new police station should be considered for Lennox Head.
Cr Cadwallader’s motion calls for council to write to the NSW Minister for Police seeking support for a ‘review of police numbers assigned to the Ballina Police Station to assist in the ever increasing need for local officers to deal with not only crime, but also with mental health issues that are continuing to arise as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.’
Her motion also seeks ‘clarification regarding future planning for a new police station at Lennox Head based on current and forecast population growth for this township.’
Vandalism on the rise?
Cr Cadwallader says the growth in population locally has come with an increase in anti-social behaviour.
In recent months this has included vandalism around Lake Ainsworth and the knocking over of numerous road and safety signs during wet weather.
‘The number of police and front line services is not increasing to align with the growth within our community,’ said Cr Cadwallader. ‘The failure to address this results in delays to response times and places our community at unnecessary risk.
‘It also results in an increase in vandalism to community infrastructure and personal property,’ she said. ‘Our shire needs additional police numbers to be able to support the front line services who are continually calling upon the police service to assist with patients struggling with mental health issues.’
Ballina council staff have said that the cost of vandalism to council in recent years is approximately $120,000 per annum.
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The answer is in the question.
Getting more police to deal with people suffering from mental health issues ?
Have we considered asking the Minister for Health for more mental health experts to deal with it.
On vandalism, how about Council looks at how rangers are deployed ?
Can Council say, hand on heart, that they are optimally deployed ?
I know they are never where I am – day or night – because I never ever see them anywhere in Ballina. But they must be somewhere, right ?
You don’t want Police dealing with mental health issues, they’re re too heavy handed,
A more compassionate team would be better, just look at the laneway situation in Byron bay with the naked youth, bashed how many times? Appalling treatment by grown men.
Who do you suggest deal with people with mental health issues causing problems in the community? The safety of the wider community is important. If residents are assaulted or murdered by people with mental health issues it is a criminal matter.
Conservative white trash love the police.