The Minister for Police, Bob Cameron and the Minister for Regional and Rural Development, Jacinta Allan, today officially opened the new $19.7 million Bendigo police station.
Mr Cameron said the new station would provide a range of police services to help keep crime levels low.
“This station will house police prosecutors and a range of specialist field officers, as well as criminal investigation, sexual offenders & child abuse and pro-active program units,” he said.
Mr Cameron said the new two-storey station would house an executive office, 10 interview rooms and a custody complex with nine cells and three holding rooms.
The station incorporates a wide range of environmentally sustainable design initiatives to reduce the facility’s impact on the environment and reduce operating costs.
“This new station delivers a professional and modern working environment to support police in their everyday work of protecting the community,” Mr Cameron said.
Ms Allan said the Brumby Government was committed to investing in police resources.
“The State Government has committed more than $300 million to the construction and refurbishment of over 140 police stations and we will continue to help resource Victoria Police so they can keep crime levels falling year-on-year,” she said.
“The Government’s major construction and refurbishment program has also seen new police stations built in surrounding areas at Wallan, Romsey, Lancefield, Broadford and Kilmore, while construction of new stations is underway in Kyneton and Ararat.”
Mr Cameron said in the Police Service Area that included Bendigo and surrounding areas, crime rates had fallen by 11.1 per cent over the past six years.
Crimes against property fell by 22 per cent over this period.
“Victoria has the lowest crime rate in the nation. We want to continue to drive crime rates down and increase community safety,” he said.
“The Brumby Government recently gave Victoria Police its largest-ever budget of $1.6 billion.
“We now have more police than ever before, with an additional 1400 police officers added to the beat since 1999 and a further 350 to be added by 2010.
“The Government is committed to making Victoria a safer place.”