Insufficient Police Presence and
Weak Laws
Kwinana Is Growing — So Why Isn’t Our Police Presence?
Kwinana is now home to more than 50,000 residents, yet many people feel our policing and community safety arrangements haven’t kept pace with our growth.
Our police station operates during limited hours. We are told police patrols continue after the station closes — but residents are still regularly dealing with hooning, dirt bikes, smashed car windows, excessive noise and damage to public spaces.
If current patrols are sufficient, why are these problems continuing?
Council Says Kwinana Isn’t Big Enough
We are told Kwinana isn’t large enough to justify a 24-hour police station.
We question that argument.
Council recognises our growing population by expanding its own administration and services. Yet when residents call for stronger policing, the issue seems to be treated very differently.
Why is population growth good enough to justify expanding Council administration, but apparently not good enough to demand greater police resources?
Ratepayer-Funded Security Isn’t Stopping the Problem
Council has also supported local security measures, including providing ratepayer-funded assistance for residents to install CCTV/security systems, with the aim of helping prevent or deter crime.
Security cameras can have a useful role, but residents have to ask:
Are these measures actually solving the problem?
While ratepayers help fund security systems, smashed car windows, hooning vehicles and dirt bikes continue to disturb residents and keep neighbourhoods awake at night.
We shouldn’t accept a situation where ratepayers are increasingly expected to protect themselves while the underlying problem of insufficient police presence remains.
Why Isn’t Council Lobbying Harder?
Council cannot control WA Police — but it can advocate strongly for Kwinana.
Council should be lobbying the:
- WA Police Commissioner
- Police Minister
- Premier Roger Cook
- State Government
- Local Members of Parliament
for increased patrols and better policing coverage.
Residents deserve to know:
How many times has Council formally requested additional police patrols?
What response has Council received?
What is Council doing when those requests aren’t acted upon?
If the State Government says Kwinana doesn’t warrant additional policing, Council should tell residents and publicly challenge that decision.
Security Systems Are Not a Substitute for Police
CCTV cameras can help provide evidence after an incident, but they don’t replace police on the streets.
Ratepayers shouldn’t be left with the impression that installing more cameras and security systems is an adequate answer to persistent hooning, illegal dirt-bike riding and property crime.
Prevention requires police presence, enforcement and consequences.
Kwinana Needs Action — Not Excuses
The ALWM Group has repeatedly emailed for clear finaWe don’t expect Council to run the police.
We expect our elected representatives to stand up for the people they represent and fight for the resources our growing community needs.
Kwinana’s population is growing.
Council administration is growing.
So why shouldn’t our policing presence grow as well?
ALWMGroup Says: People Before Politics
This isn’t about attacking individual police officers. It’s about making sure police have the resources and presence needed to keep our community safe.
It’s also about asking whether Council is prepared to spend ratepayer money on local security measures while appearing reluctant to publicly challenge the State Government over inadequate police coverage.
Residents deserve better than cameras after the crime has happened. We need policing that helps prevent it happening in the first place.
It’s time for Council to speak up.
Lobby the Police Commissioner.Lobby the Police Minister.Lobby Premier Roger Cook.Demand more police patrols for Kwinana.
**PEOPLE BEFORE POLITICS.
COMMUNITY BEFORE EXCUSES.ACTION BEFORE INACTION.**
ALWMGroup — Giving Kwinana Residents a Voice.