General News
26 September, 2022
Challenges of communications
By INSP. DONNA MITCHELLI WANTED to start this month by talking about the importance of you the community in our role as police officers. Communication is a fundamental part of community policing. Research has shown that, for some people, there is...
By INSP. DONNA MITCHELL
I WANTED to start this month by talking about the importance of you the community in our role as police officers. Communication is a fundamental part of community policing.
Research has shown that, for some people, there is a psychological barrier when it comes to communicating with police and that the communication is often one-way – from police to the community. For the police, the community holds a great source of information and intelligence that can assist in keeping everyone safe. Albeit the police have a major role in community safety, often the problems raised are owned or co-owned by other community partners.
The Local Safety Committee has been established to combat the challenge of the ‘one-way’ conversation (police to the community). There are representatives from community groups and others who represent the community on the Committee. Some of the issues we are focussing are safety when using mobility devices, safety for new drivers, reviewing the need to maintain a firearms licence when moving into care and addressing the root cause of family violence in Central Goldfields. The Committee is open to consider any community safety issues you feel is important.
The Committee is working in collaboration with Council, Centre for Non-Violence, Women’s Health Loddon Mallee, Loddon Campaspe Community Legal Centre, The Orange Door, MDHS, Zonta and Rotary to put together this year’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender- Based Violence. The 16 Days campaign runs globally from November 25 to December 10.
On a local level this year’s theme is Preventing Violence Against Women is Everybody’s Business: Let’s Call it Out Everywhere Loddon Mallee.
Everyone has a responsibility to notice gender inequality, sexism, harassment, and abuse and call it out.
The Crime Statistics Agency has just released their latest figures. Violence in the home features in Central Goldfields, criminal damage in Mount Alexander and theft in Loddon.
Interestingly three different crime themes appear across the three local government areas.
What is shared, however, is that most crimes happen in the home or around the house. As residents you have some choice and control about the security levels you maintain in and around your house.
We have spoken before about target-hardening. This means locking doors, windows, cars, garages; and ensuring good lighting and CCTV cameras that are working.
On a personal level, this means calling out violent behaviour, telling someone about any form of violence you may be experiencing; and supporting those who disclose violence in the home.
I understand it may feel uncomfortable, but nothing will change until bystanders and witnesses call it out.
And it starts early. I challenge you for one week to really listen to your own comments, to those around you and to the media. Start to listen and identify gender-based language.
An example is taken from Jane Gilmour’s book, Fixed It, where she compares two headlines describing the same incident: “Woman flirty and very friendly in the hours before she was allegedly raped” could read “Man accused of rape says alleged victim chatted to people at party”. Both referring to the same incident, but by using different language the author changes the focus.
On a completely different note, with spring upon us and summer coming up, it is highly likely there will be an increase in motorcycle collisions resulting in death or serious injury.
Again, these incidents are avoidable. Some common contributors are older people with spare income after COVID purchasing a motorcycle and riding with minimal experience, impaired riders (illicit drugs or alcohol). Motorcycle riders are vulnerable road users. If you know a motorcycle rider, ask them to take care for your sake.
* Inspector Mitchell is the officer in charge of the Goldfields police area, including Loddon Shire