Call for Nambour businesses to fund CBD Police Patrols amid rising crime
“This behaviour is breaking the spirit of our town” … Local lawyer and Reimagine Nambour Chairman Peter Boyce. “With some of the incidents requiring a number of crews to attend there is just not enough police man-power to adequately enforce the laws of the state”.
Reimagine Nambour Chairman Peter Boyce has issued an Open Letter to the Nambour Community seeking financial support to engage two police officers to patrol Nambour CBD.
Mr Boyce says police do not have the resources to effectively patrol the CBD on a daily basis and in a manner that would be seen to be more beneficial and helpful to all.
“If we, as a community, were prepared to engage two Police Officers to perform special duties, then they could be assigned to perform those special duties so desperately needed in our town centre,” Mr Boyce says.
“The problem is that the costs of engaging these Special Duties Police Officers out of hours is about $150 per hour per officer, so that means $300 per hour for two officers.
“I have already had a $1000 commitment from a local business owner and am therefore wanting to ascertain from as many businesses as possible whether there is an appetite to contribute $1000 each so that we can at least give this a trial.”
Mr Boyce said Reimagine Nambour would also investigate alternatives such as the appointment of “Community Police Officers” who may not have all of the powers of Police Officers but who at least have powers to move on and arrest people for conduct that is unbecoming or criminal in certain circumstances.
• See Mr Boyce’s Open Letter to the Nambour Community, below. If you are prepared to make a contribution, please contact Kerry Brown on 0408 459 624 as Reimagine Nambour would like to work with you and with Police on this issue.
An Open Letter to the Nambour Community
RE: SAFETY ISSUES IN THE TOWN CENTRE
Senior Sergeant Gary Brayley
I am writing to you as Chairman of Reimagine Nambour.
One of the aims and goals of Reimagine Nambour is to work with the Community, the Council and the Police to try and improve the safety of our Community, particularly in the Town Centre where there has for some time been a number of ugly incidents that make members of our community very concerned about their safety and wellbeing.
I realise that every town or city has issues and that the primary enforcer of any conduct that is unlawful is our Police Service.
We at Reimagine Nambour have been working closely with the Nambour Police and the Council to see whether we can, in some way, improve the safety of our community and reduce some of the unsavoury incidents that have occurred in the Town Centre.
Reimagine secretary, Kerry Brown and I met with Senior Sergeant Gary Brayley and Senior Sergeant Peter McNamara on 12 October 2022.
We have discussed a number of issues. However, one of the matters that did come out of the discussion again was that Police do not have the resources to fully and effectively police the Town Centre each and every day in a manner that would be seen to be more beneficial and helpful to all.
The police recognise that there are a number of issues with respect to the conduct of certain individuals in our town. Where possible, they do take action.
Through our conversations, we have ascertained that if we, as a community, were prepared to engage two Police Officers to perform special duties, then they could be assigned to perform those special duties so desperately needed in our Town Centre.
The problem is that the costs of engaging a Special Duties Police Officer is about $150 per hour, so that means $300 per hour for two Special Duties Police Officers.
I have already had a $1000 commitment from a local business owner and am therefore wanting to ascertain from as many businesses as possible whether there is an appetite to contribute $1000 each so that we can at least give this a trial.
We would ask that you also make further representations to our Local Member, Robert Skelton, about the following:
• 1. The safety issues in our town;
• 2. The fact that further funding needs to be provided to Police for this purpose; and
• 3. Whether there is an alternative method of policing that can be made available to Police, such as the appointment of Community Police Officers who may not have all of the powers that Police Officers have but at least have powers to move on and arrest people for conduct that is unbecoming or criminal in certain circumstances.
Council
The next issue is to also make sure that Council engages fully and effectively in assisting the Community. Because, in recent times, there have been people squatting in places where it should not be permitted and much of this land is owned by the Government and/or owned and controlled by the Council.
Kulangoor Caravan Park
We also have been speaking with two people who have been instrumental in implementing a project at Kulangoor Caravan Park.
That program has been very effective in reducing inappropriate behaviour and subsequent Police call-outs to the caravan park and could have a similar positive effect for Nambour.
The problem is that to implement this program in our community, it will cost about $350,000 per year over a period of three years. Perhaps this is something that our Local Member could consider funding as a Pilot Scheme.
Special Duty Police Officers
In any event, the purpose of this letter is to gauge whether there is any appetite for businesses to providing funding for two Special Duty Police Officers. Senior Sergeant Gary Brayley has clearly indicated that policing in a normal way will continue but if we wanted to increase the presence of Police, then that is unfortunately one way in which it could be done.
Please give this some serious consideration.
To make a contribution
• If you are prepared to make a contribution, could you please contact Kerry Brown on 0408 459 624 as we would like to work with you and Police on this issue.
To Support the Petition
• Support the online Town Safety Petition by keeping an eye on www.facebook.com/iamnambour
— Reimagine Nambour Chairman Peter Boyce
‘This behaviour is breaking the spirit of our town’
Following is the wording of Reimagine Nambour’s Petition urging action on safety.
Over the past 18 months there has been a drastic increase in unlawful behaviour in and around the CBD of Nambour. Youth crime, drug and alcohol abuse, in-street violence, vagrancy and menacing behaviour have resulted in residents feeling unsafe and businesses suffering through lack of foot traffic due to shoppers’ reluctance to walk the streets.
Our police are stretched to breaking point with 25 percent of the 40 general policing staff on stress/sick or statutory leave at any given time. This leaves 30 officers to do the three daily two-man shifts.
With some of the incidents requiring a number of crews to attend there is just not enough police man-power to adequately enforce the laws of the state.
There is an urgent need for additional policing resources to turn this lawlessness around; to allow the silent majority to live and work in a safe and peaceful environment and to restore a sense of pride into the community.
Nambour has a proud tradition of supporting those in need.
Nambour has a proud tradition of supporting those in need. Over many years we, as a community, through volunteers and donations have given freely and provided facilities for the young; for families and for the elderly which were envied by many other communities.
But this behaviour is breaking the spirit of our once vibrant and supportive town and we call on our legislators to allow the quiet majority to live and work in a safe and peaceful environment and to restore a sense of pride into the community.
We call on Member for Nicklin Rob Skelton to request urgent support from the State government to bring an end to this lawless behaviour.
• To support the online Town Safety Petition keep an eye on www.facebook.com/iamnambour
