11 AUGUST, 2026
Councillors from across Melbourne’s west are calling for more police in the region. (Supplied)
We deserve better The mayors of the western suburbs are calling for more police on the beat in the region in the aftermath of a series of high-profi le violent crimes. The most recent incidents – assaults on retail workers in Sunshine and Footscray on Saturday 1 August and Monday 3 August respectively – led to calls for more police and resources across the western suburbs. The victim of the 1 August attack, Van Viet Truong, died in hospital on Wednesday. The mayors from Brimbank, Maribyrnong, Hobsons Bay, Wyndham and Melton councils said local police resources have not kept pace with the growth of the region and the needs of their communities. “Recent attacks on traders, including the shocking assaults in Sunshine and Footscray this week, have shaken our people,” they said in a joint statement on Wednesday 5 August. “Crime rates are rising across Melbourne’s west with a combined 12.7 per cent increase in recorded crimes across the
region so far in 2026. “Our communities deserve to feel safe in their streets. Our traders and workers deserve to feel safe in their businesses. Melbourne’s west deserves better.” The mayors pointed to a number of recent incidents including shots fired at an Altona North home on Friday 31 July; the arrest of a man in Hoppers Crossing on Friday 24 July who was later charged with a number of offences including rape, false imprisonment and assault; the alleged murder of a man outside a Footscray pub in June; and an attack on two teenagers in Caroline Springs by a group of 11 people armed with machetes in December last year as evidence of the region’s growing crime problem. Just hours before fronting Wednesday’s joint press conference, Maribyrnong mayor Mohamed Semra, his predecessor Cr Pradeep Tiwari, council chief executive Celia Haddock and council employees were threatened by a man with a knife in Footscray Mall. “There have also been numerous violent machete attacks in community spaces
right across the west from libraries to shopping centres and on our streets,” the mayors said. “The impact of this violence has been compounded by closures of our local police stations. “Public access to Footscray, Keilor Downs and Caroline Springs police stations has been reduced to three days a week, while the Williamstown Police Station counter is temporarily closed. The Altona Police Station counter is closed overnight and on weekends.” Speaking at the press conference, Brimbank mayor Virginia Tachos stated that the call to action was in the community’s best interests. “The community has sent a strong message,” she said. “Enough is enough.” In a statement, Melton mayor Lara Carli said it was crucial police resources kept pace with population growth. “The City of Melton is one of the fastest-growing areas in Australia and it is critical that essential services keep pace with this growth, including police
resources both within our stations and on the frontline,” she said. “Across Melbourne’s west, police resourcing needs to keep pace with the growth of our communities. “We appreciate our hardworking local police force, but our community want greater access to our police stations and assurances that our police numbers will grow in line with our population. “Every resident deserves to feel safe in their community and have timely access to police services when they need them.” The mayors have called on the state government to increase visible neighbourhood policing across the west, improve access to police stations and ensure police resources keep pace with population growth. They also want more prevention programs for youth outreach and support and more outreach for mental health, homelessness and alcohol and other drugs to support police and prevent problems from escalating. Continued: Page 5
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