HEALTH workers have raised concerns about the lack of a full-time police presence at alpine resorts with fears the safety of the public is being put at risk.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Paramedics met with top officers – including Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton – at Mount Hotham on Wednesday.
There are fears the lack of a full-time police presence on Hotham, Falls Creek and Buller is placing snow-goers at risk.
Officers have to be bought in from outlying stations outside of normal working hours, and they can take several hours to arrive on scene.
Police are being called from as far as Wangaratta to attend.
Officers have also been brought up from Melbourne to cover the snow season.
Falls Creek doctor Mark Zagorski said a domestic incident last week highlighted the problem.
“It would have been good to have the police on hand but they had to be sent from Wangaratta,” he said.
“We dealt with the problem and actually called them off.
“In the past, the police were just here – we would call them and they would turn up.
“It would be nice to have the confidence that the police were around the corner, not a couple of hours away.
“There’s always a level of concern where situations can possibly escalate to a dangerous level.”
Asked if there was potential for major dramas, Dr Zagorski said “that's the picture that's painted to us”.
“If we need the police, and it's outside their rostered work times, then officers have to come from wherever they're available,” he said.
“It could be Mt Beauty, Bright or Wangaratta.
“Sometimes you need the strong arm of the law.
“There's always a concern a situation will arise and the police, when you need them, won't be there.”
A police spokeswoman said the organisation conducted continual risk assessments and adjusted resourcing as needed.
“Victoria Police is constantly reviewing its response to any incidents which occur in alpine areas, including level of offending and peak times when police are required,” she said.
“We want to reassure the community that there is a 24-hour police response to the alpine region.
“If urgent police assistance is required, the community should phone 000 and the nearest police unit will be tasked.”