Cops off the counter and out on patrol in new trial

Endeavour Hills police station cordoned off after a night-time police shooting incident in an adjoining car park in 2014. 127959 Picture: GARY SISSONS

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

ENDEAVOUR Hills police station’s front counter will be closed on weekend nights as part of a four-month trial.
Once touted as a 24/7 police station, the station will be closed to the public at 5pm rather than 11pm on weekends but police patrols on those nights will be increased.
Police say a review found low numbers of public attendances and phone calls to the station, particularly on weekends.
Inspector Donald Brown said the trial would “maximise the amount of time police are out on patrol and responding to crime”.
“We believe that this view is shared by most people in the community.”
The station’s weekday public opening hours of 7am to 11pm are unchanged.
During times when the station’s counter is closed, phone calls will be diverted to Narre Warren Police Station’s 24-hour counter service.
For urgent police assistance, the public is advised to call triple-zero.
Police say the trial will be evaluated at the end of 2016.