A Tarneit local is calling on council to roll out more CCTV (closed circuit television) on residential streets to help deter crime.
Venkat ram Upparlapalle said that having an extended surveillance system would help identify those involved in incidents of violent crime and reckless behaviour.
“People are flagging reckless driving and illegal dumping, car bashings and thefts, so those are definitely the main drivers of the idea,” he said.
“When you see these stories and hear about it, you get the feeling that you are not in a safe place.
“Thinking of this from a community perspective, the more regularly these things happen you will see more people move out. We definitely need more surveillance.”
Mr Upparlapalle said that many people he speaks to on a regular basis express fear and that expanded CCTV would be a way to rebuild faith in community safety.
“It’s not just about catching those people ( who commit crimes), but it is about building the confidence of the local community.
“The police should have the information especially relating to the locations where things are frequently happening.”
He also believes that having the cameras strategically placed might be the best municipal solution for catching dangerous drivers or those not obeying the speed limit.
“Once you put the cameras on the street, and once people who are speeding see the bill come through they may rethink things.
“You will see a change in the driving around here pretty quickly.”
A Wyndham City spokesperson said “Council does not routinely install CCTV on residential streets as this raises complex issues around privacy, surveillance, and jurisdiction.”
