‘I worry about the children’: Inner-city police stations will close to public

A 16-year-old boy was shot and killed outside a Fitzroy police station in January, when there were no officers manning the front desk.

Now Victoria Police has announced it will permanently shut the station to the public, along with three other inner Melbourne stations.

Counters at Collingwood, Fitzroy, Southbank and North Melbourne will no longer have police officers on the front desk from next month.

Victoria Police has framed the decision – which comes into effect on October 4 – as a way to ensure that more officers patrol local streets. But residents and local councillors say the community will be left without a key safety mechanism.

Assistant Commissioner Jo Stafford said the four stations would remain open as operational bases, and reduced counter duties meant that there would be more officers working on the front line.

“The changes will enable more police members to be visible in the community, conducting patrols, preventing crime, and responding to incidents when and where they are needed most,” she said.

Stafford said the four stations were all within a “short distance” of neighbouring police stations including Melbourne West, Melbourne East and Richmond. These stations will continue providing 24-hour public counter services.

Angelica Yak, who lives in the housing towers near the Fitzroy police station, was worried her children – aged between eight and 14 – would not have somewhere safe to go if an incident happened in the community.

“We need the police station to be there to help us,” she said. “To go to Richmond instead is very far away.

“There’s a lot of bad things going on in Fitzroy. Older people will probably be OK, but I worry about the children.”

Ater (Elia) Good, 16, was shot and killed outside the Fitzroy station earlier this year while it was closed to the public.

An officer was inside at the time and heard two gunshots, before going out to investigate. The officer found Ater on the footpath with head injuries a minute later.

Detective Acting Inspector Brett Meadows said in January the officer came straight out and provided first aid and called for back-up.

“So whether the station was open to the public or as it was closed to the public … I can’t see it would have made any difference,” Meadows said.

Three men were arrested and charged over the incident, and later remanded in custody. The matter is scheduled to return to the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in November.

Fitzroy police station was also one of 43 posts across Victoria where reception hours were slashed in 2023 because of staff shortages. Before that, it was a 24-hour station.

Deputy Premier Gabrielle Williams said the Carroll government wanted to ensure that police personnel could be “where the crime is” rather than stuck behind desks. She said the government was committed to providing the resources police needed.

A spokesman from the Police Association said Victoria Police “needs to be honest with impacted communities” about what the future holds for the local police stations.

Richmond is now the only public-facing station in the City of Yarra. Mayor Stephen Jolly criticised the short notice period and the lack of consultation with residents and the council.

On Friday, he requested an urgent meeting with Police Minister Paul Edbrooke and Chief Commissioner Mike Bush to discuss the issue.

The mayor said he was doubtful the closures would result in higher police officer presence around the municipality.

“No one’s seen them … you don’t get street patrols, you don’t get proactive policing … This seems to be more of a PR spin for a very, very bad decision rather than reality,” he said.

City of Melbourne Lord Mayor Nick Reece – whose council encompasses the Southbank and North Melbourne stations – was broadly supportive of any initiative to get more police on the front lines. He said this would result in a “safer city”.

“But for those who need it, there should always be a place to report crime in person – and we expect the 24-hour counters on Bourke and Spencer streets to remain open,” Reece said.

Chief executive of Jesuit Social Services Julie Edwards, who oversees volunteers in Fitzroy and Collingwood, said: “Police presence is just one part of the whole picture when it comes to creating a safe society.

“It is important police reflect the communities they are in, too. If this change is due to recruitment shortages, we would love to see the return of the Victoria Police Diversity Recruitment program.”

Victorian opposition police spokesman Brad Battin pledged to reopen the police stations should a Wilson Liberal government be elected in November.

“We have had people stabbed at police stations when they are closed,” he said on Saturday. “The chief commissioner is closing these stations because he does not have the numbers to ensure we can keep counters open and police vans on the street.”

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Ashleigh McMillan is a breaking news reporter at The Age.Connect via X or email.Gemma Grant is a city reporter at The Age. Contact her securely on Signal at gemmagrant.88Connect via email.AdvertisementAdvertisement