Crime rate takes centre stage as poll heats up

Policing the streets of Strathfield has emerged as a major issue in the State election – but no candidate can agree on how to tackle local crime.

Only Independent Mark Sharma was prepared to pledge the return of the municipality’s police station, though Liberal contender Charles Casuscelli said he would “fight for the re-establishment of a fully functioning police station in Strathfield”.

He said a state Liberal government would review all police station locations.

Casuscelli issued a tough statement claiming criminals “feel safer in the Strathfield electorate after 16 years of Labor”.

He accused sitting member Virginia Judge of the first election blooper, saying a statement she made about Flemington police station being a back up was wrong

It has been closed for over a decade, he said

Judge told The Inner West Courierlast month: “It’s better you have your services consolidated around this area and we still have the back-up of Flemington.”

In a statement to the Scene, Judge maintained crime was falling, police numbers had been boosted and a $17 million state-of-the-art station had opened in Burwood.

She said she would continue to fight for resources to be allocated locally to help beat crime.

Casuscelli maintained  that crime was, in fact, rising, and he promised more “cops on the beat”, enhanced transit police powers and strengthened ‘move-on’ powers.

The Sceneasked all candidates to state their positions following moves to place more CCTV cameras in the town centre to help deter robberies.

Funds for the surveillance cameras are being urgently sought by Strathfield Council after an armed raid on a local business.

Both Judge and Casuscelli say they back the application.

Policing Strathfield streets has long been a contentious issue, the more so since the municipality’s own station was closed in 2009 to save on rental costs.

Police opened a ‘shopfront’ in Strathfield Plaza.  But many believe it is not staffed frequently enough, and observations by the Scenethis week showed it was not manned at all on at least one day.

Police claim there is an officer on duty from 9-5, seven days a week…manpower permitting.

Judge stated she had fought for additional manpower, delivered a $17 million station at Burwood, and noted there were 17 new officers at Burwood and 27 probationary constables in Flemington Local Area Command.

She maintained crime had dropped in Burwood by as much as 29 per cent in some instances.

Casuscelli maintained: “Strathfield is the fourth most dangerous station in the city rail network…Strathfield has no fully functioning police station and under the Labor Government, Enfield and Flemington police stations have also been closed.”