New race crime reporting system launched
IN the wake of a recent report indicating that a quarter of Australians expressed anti-Semitic sentiments, a new reporting system is being launched to give police more comprehensive statistics on anti-Jewish crime in Melbourne.
IN the wake of a recent report indicating that a quarter of Australians expressed anti-Semitic sentiments, a new reporting system is being launched to give police more comprehensive statistics on anti-Jewish crime in Melbourne.
The Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) initiative will synchronise reporting of incidents between the Community Security Group (CSG) and police, so that police can compile more accurate data.
Dan Goodhardt, head of CSG research, said information on incidents will now be reported directly to senior police, rather than to Caulfield Police Station, which has, in the past, acted as a collation point.
Direct reporting to Assistant Police Commissioner Jeff Pope “gives the community better exposure in terms of the police knowing specifically which incidents we consider to be anti-Semitic. When they’re doing their reports, they’ll have the figures directly from the community,” Goodhardt said.
Police will be able to note patterns and provide more targeted protection. For example, they can isolate where congregants walking to synagogue on Friday night are regularly harassed.
Goodhardt urged the community to report all incidents to the CSG, but to contact police separately about more serious events.
Welcoming the initiative, JCCV president John Searle said, “This is a great step forward in our relationship with the police. They will now have a much better understanding of the issues we face.”
Under the new system, the JCCV, CSG and B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission are coordinating to ensure all information is centralised and no incidents are missed, he added.
CSG can be contacted on (03) 9519 8600 or after hours on (03) 9523 0434.
PETER KOHN
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