Last week saw children and adults hiding in shops in Mullumbimby’s main street as a young man verbally abused shopkeepers and the public.
‘As local businesses we often have to deal with people who are homeless, and distressed. It can be difficult when members of the public try to intervene because they may not have a full picture of the situation.’
‘Even the other homeless people were coming up to me and saying thank you for helping him after I called the police,’ said one local business owner who asked not to be named.
‘It was a major disruption to the town,’ said another business owner. ‘He is obviously unwell and Mullum is a pretty accepting town but this type of behaviour is scary. It took over two hours for the police to arrive which makes these types of situations more difficult to deal with as there is no police presence in the town.
‘This person needs some serious help and there needs to be clear ways for him to get it.’
Increasing mental health issues
A 2023 review of the NSW Police Force’s (NSWPF) response to mental health incidents in the community highlighted that the number of people experiencing mental health issues is increasing.
The NSWPF work with NSW Health to explore models for responding to mental health incidents in NSW is consistent with the principles of the ‘Right Care, Right Person’ model.
‘However, where ambulance and mental health services are not available, police are relied upon to attend a mental health emergency.
‘This is especially the case in rural and regional NSW,’ states the report.
NSWPF told The Echo that, ‘officers from Tweed-Byron Police District conduct regular taskings and patrols of the Mullumbimby CBD to ensure the safety of the local community.’
‘Antisocial behaviour continues to be a concern for police and the community, and police respond by conducting regular high-visibility and proactive operations to target offenders.
While several arrests have been made and move-on directions have been issued in relation to antisocial behaviour, police remain vigilant and continue deploying resources to the area.’
Call 000 if its an emergency
‘Importantly, police urge residents to report antisocial behaviour to local police or the Police Assistance Line on 131 444, and in an emergency, call Triple Zero (000) immediately.
‘These reports are reviewed by intelligence officers daily to inform future taskings and upcoming police operations across the district.’
‘We want Mullum to be safe and secure, for the community to be able to shop and enjoy our town without any verbal abuse,’ said Mullumbimby’s Chamber of Commerce President, Paul Prior.
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