Police cluster trial

By Dion Teasdale
HEALESVILLE has been announced as the base for a new Victoria police pilot project aimed at strengthening management of police resources across the Yarra Valley.
The pilot project, which commenced at the beginning of this month, will trial a strengthened management model for Yarra Glen, Healesville, Yarra Junction and Warburton Police Stations.
Senior Sergeant Vin Butera, from Lilydale police, will head up the pilot project and be based at Healesville Police Station for a six-month period.
During the trial, the officers in charge of the four Yarra Valley police stations will be supported by the Snr Sgt Butera in a cluster profile.
District Inspector Mick Beattie said the Yarra Valley was a unique policing environment and that Snr Sgt Butera would not be replacing the role of the local officers in charge.
“Our people out there are regularly confronted with some very challenging policing issues,” he said.
“They are doing a great job, but we want to see if we can make a positive difference by ramping up our level of management support to them.”
Inspector Beattie cited domestic violence, mental illness, illicit drug use and road trauma as issues that Snr Sgt Butera would focus on.
“(These issues) are not out of control, but are scenarios that regularly required very focused and committed involvement from our people and other community agencies,” he said.
Inspector Beattie said that collaborating and working with other agencies and community groups in the pursuit of local safety outcomes was ‘the only way to go’.
“We are constantly looking at ways to improve our service delivery in these out-post areas. For example, police-staffing levels can be a topical issue for some individuals, and I have asked Vin to have a hard look at that,” he said.
Snr Sgt Butera, who has spent the past four years in Lilydale, said he was looking forward to working very closely with police and community groups in the Yarra Valley.
“I’m wrapped to be working up here for the next six months and I want the community to know that my door is always open,” he said.
“People are welcome to come and see me in person at the police station in Healesville, or to phone me on 5962 4422.”
Snr Sgt Butera said people in Yarra Glen and the Upper Yarra unable to get to Healesville could make an appointment to see him during a visit to those areas.