http://tamworth.yourguide.com.au/news/local/news/general/woodley-out-to-fight-crime/796303.aspx
... concern at the increased level of petty crime and vandalism in the city’s central business district.
During the council’s strategy and finance committee meeting earlier this month Cr Kevin Tongue asked that the apparent surge in antisocial behaviour be referred to the working group for discussion with Tamworth police.
The working group also endorsed a request by Cr Woodley for an allocation of $100,000 from the 2008-2011 financial management plan for security cameras to be installed in the Tamworth CBD.
Cr Woodley has also appealed to business owners in Tamworth to report any incidents of vandalism or petty crime to police in an effort use the information to increase the allocation of funds to fight this kind of crime.
He said the trend among shop and business owners to not bother reporting crime, because of a perception that the police would do nothing, was wrong and was self-defeating.
“The statistics the police have been pulling out don’t always give us a guide to (what is happening) with street crime,” Cr Woodley said.
He said Tamworth’s residents and ratepayers could not continue to accept antisocial behaviour as “being normal”. It was time to take a stand.
“Cars are being scratched, windows being smashed. People who ring the police and who don’t hear back don’t think anything is happening,” Cr Woodley said.
