Dodgy deals

DRUG activity is causing Inverloch parents to worry.

While police have said they are unaware of any drug increase, some members of the community claim the Inverloch skate park is a meeting point for drug dealers.

Mother of two Caroline Allen said she has heard of it happening between adult dealers and the high school students who frequent the area.

“It has to be monitored,” she said.

“This place is usually teeming with children and we can’t have this sort of thing happening around them.”

YMCA skate park supervisor Scott Johnstone said the average age of people who use the skate park is between 10 and 20 years old – the prime age to be influenced.

During the holidays and on weekends, up to 50 children go to the skate park.

Scott is stationed at the skate park between 3.30pm and 6.30pm during daylight savings and only to 5.30pm during the rest of the year. He said he hasn’t had a problem with anyone in a while but after hours the supervision at the skate park is limited.

Scott’s role is to watch the children and call the police if it is necessary. He said he can’t make anyone who may be hovering around leave but the police come down instantly if things get out of hand.

Scott said he hasn’t had to call the police in over a year, but would still feel safer if there was a stronger police presence.

Ms Allen has a seven and a 10 year old who are not allowed to play at the skate park for several reasons, one of which being the stranger danger issue.

She suggests there should be signs put up around the cages surrounding the skate park with stranger danger information on them, especially who to call if there’s any trouble.

Inspector Graeme Sprague from the Wonthaggi Police said they would be happy to add the skate park to their heavily patrolled areas but urge witnesses to contact the police or Crimestoppers when they see something suspicious in their area.

“The drug issue has always been high and we have regular patrols at public gathering areas,” he said.

Patrols have not increased in Inverloch since the holdup at the petrol station and the man who jumped onto the roof of the Community Hub in August.

However, Senior Sergeant Scott Morison said increased resources have allowed the police to have an extra car for night patrols.

“This gives us greater coverage to monitor high risk areas,” he said.

A CCTV camera is directed at the skate park from the Foodworks supermarket in Inverloch. Senior Sergeant Morison said it has also been a great tool for coverage.

“Obviously it can’t cover everything but we do use it,” he said.

Police have worked to educate children in the police service area (PSA) about stranger danger through its Youth Resource Officer Senior Constable Brendan Horrocks and Sergeant Glenn Birt.

The police members attend schools to provide information on both drugs and alcohol and proactively teach them about stranger danger.

Schools are always developing programs to broaden students’ knowledge of drug risks. These are run throughout the curriculum in health and wellbeing physical education classes.

They also have special presentations and a range of workshops often run by the local police.

On watch: YMCA skate park supervisor Scott Johnstone keeps an eye on the children from 3.30pm until 6.30pm during daylight savings.

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Posted by Sarah Vella on Oct 14 2014. Filed under Featured, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry