Geraldton police out in force to tackle summer crime

Geraldton police will be out in force over the coming months, promising high-visibility patrols at hotspots and faster response times to tackle an expected rise in anti-social behaviour. Mid West Gascoyne District Supt Roger Beer, pictured, said the boost in police activity would come on the back of a successful initiative last summer which led to a “massive drop” in criminal activity. “I can’t tell you why, but the warmer weather tends to escalate criminal and antisocial behaviour,” he said. Police in Geraldton will benefit from a $5 million boost to the WA Police Force’s summer crime prevention strategy, which will see increased activity across the State. Locally, Supt Beer said policing efforts would focus on preventative actions, patrolling hotspots such as the beaches and licensed venues, and improving call-out times. “We’re bringing in additional resources now to shorten call-out times,” he said. “Normally, demand for our services is so high that officers are constantly tied up responding to calls. We will be out on the streets and more visible over the summer months.’’ Additional manpower began arriving in Geraldton on December 1 and will remain here until the end of May to bolster local forces. Supt Beer said police were not expecting anything similar to the “unwelcome” rise in crime in Geraldton last summer, which resulted in a six-week blitz. He said more than 230 charges were filed by officers working for the operation, which saw crime drop 20 per cent and stay low for the rest of 2020. “Crime went down here massively over the course of last year,” he said. “This summer, we will be focused on responding to an incident faster, which will reduce further occurrences. Our focus will be on deterring people from an early point so we can build on the successes of last year. “I’m very proud of what police have done this year and I hope the Geraldton community feels safer from our efforts.”