Letter to the editor – Crime forums prove safety in neighbourhood watch

I want to thank everyone who attended the community safety forums across the electorate recently.

We had an excellent turnout across the forums, held in Euroa, Benalla, Broadford, and Locksley on Wednesday.

I understand that several people in our region, whether it be in town or on farms, have been feeling more vulnerable to crime than usual in recent times and I’m so glad you were able to share your stories with us.

Hearing about the incredible efforts of households, farmers, and businesses and what they are doing to keep safe was inspiring, from reinvigorating their Neighbourhood Watch programs to increasing their property surveillance. Being able to share your stories will demonstrate how important community advocacy is, particularly when it comes to keeping our towns safe.

With 35 weeks of continuous protests in Melbourne, regional police keep getting dragged into the city to manage a protests and are taken from vital duties locally.

I look forward to there being increase in police resources in our towns in the near future, so that everyone feels safe in their home, farm, and business.

It was pleasing to see the media attention at the events, and I look forward to this contributing to those in charge taking notice of our regional communities.