SYDNEY, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The Queensland State Government in Australia announced on Tuesday that they will send extra police to a small regional area that has been rocked by spiralling rates of crime.
Located 270 km north west of Brisbane, the township of Cherbourg with a population of just over 1,100, was recently confirmed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics as the most "disadvantaged" place in the country due to its staggering levels of crime and vast social issues.
Following a recent visit to the area and the nearby community of Murgon, state police minister Mark Ryan said, "Murgon and Cherbourg communities have the right to be safe and the right to feel safe."
In order to achieve this, the State Government will send a commissioned officer along with a handful of other uniformed officers, to "drive action on the ground."
As well as this, a tactical crime squad made up of elite, specially trained personnel will also be deployed to troubled spots for "immediate additional assistance."
"This is about ensuring there are adequate resources and making sure a senior officer is on the ground, working as part of the community," Ryan said.
Speaking at a regional business meeting earlier this year, retired senior sergeant Lance Gutteridge who was officer-in-charge of Murgon police, said that very little had changed in the area for the past 100 years.
"We have two parts to our community," he said.
"A farming community with a strong work ethic, and a dysfunctional town community where some people suffer deeply embedded issues with alcohol."
Despite the challenges, the region's state member of parliament Dr Anthony Lynham believes greater coordination between government services may hold the key to addressing the communities problems with crime.
"A multi-pronged strategy that addresses keeping kids in schools, helping families deal with issues that may arise and supporting those in need or at risk of offending will help addresses underlying social issues," Lynham said.
The new officers are set to begin their new positions as early as Wednesday.
