Cb Vigilantes To Fight Crime
Sun Herald
Sunday November 17, 1996
COUNCILS would broadcast details of crimes in progress across CB radio channels and encourage vigilante groups to join police at crime scenes under a revolutionary new law and order plan.
The plan, being advocated by the Local Government Association (LGA) and the State Opposition, calls for volunteers to alert communities to crimes by revealing details on radio networks used by truck drivers, businesses and residents.
It follows a successful one-month trial in Bourke, monitored by shadow Attorney-General John Hannaford and Coalition frontbenchers Andrew Tink and Patricia Forsyth.
Under the proposal, victims of, or witnesses to, a crime call a phone number which is answered by volunteers in the council chambers, who then forward details to police and broadcast them across channel 14.
Bourke Council has erected signs across town with the new phone number and is advising residents and visitors to call in if they see any trouble.
All 17 councils attending a Statewide crime summit in Dubbo on December 11 are expected to endorse the plan.
Bourke Council general manager Alan Varley said the volunteer response scheme had the support of local police and community groups.
"It's monitored 24 hours a day and there are quite a number of volunteers. We have indicated that one of the conditions is that they have to be prepared to go to court and act as a witness." Mr Varley said.
The LGA wants a meeting with Local Government Minister Ernie Page and Police Minister Paul Whelan to extend the scheme to council areas throughout the west and in Sydney.
Mr Page said he "would give the scheme his guarded support" but wanted to assess the possible legal effects of bystanders becoming involved in crime scenes.
"The police can't be everywhere all the time," said LGA vice-president Leo Kelly. "The wrongdoers and the louts have taken over the streets. Providing we can restrain the respondents from entering the crime scene, this proposal certainly has merit."
Andrew Tink, Opposition police spokesman, said the scheme was a "positive innovation for communities that have a serious law and order problem".
"If the local council can come to an agreement with the local police that it's worth a go, then I think they should be given that opportunity," Mr Tink said.
In a separate plan, under laws being advocated by National Party MP Gerry Peacocke, police would be given the power to arrest people they see associating with known criminals.
© 1996 Sun Herald