Community
15 February, 2025
Lack of police officers
POLICE have revealed the lack of officer numbers in Mossman was making it difficult to fight crime.
The revelation at a public meeting last week has dismayed Douglas Shire Mayor Lisa Scomazzon and elicited a promise from Cook MP David Kempton to discuss the issue first-hand with Police Minister Daniel Purdie.
Concerns about a spate of business property damage particularly along Front St, Mossman, sparked a meeting involving business owners, local elders, politicians and the police.
As well as Cr Scomazzon and Mr Kempton, deputy mayor Roy Zammataro, councillors Damian Meadows, Michael Rees and Abigail Noli, Douglas Shire Council chief executive officer Scott Osman, members of the elders justice group and Mossman Police Station officer-in-charge Sergeant Matthew Smith attended the meeting involving 45 people over two hours at the Mossman CWA Hall.
Sgt Smith was asked about the level of policing along Front Street, particularly at night.
“Our area is generally under resourced,” he said.
“We have one crew for the daytime, one for the evening, but not enough staff to then cover a night shift and that will not change anytime soon.
“We have no watch house in Mossman, therefore if we take an individual back to the station, they have to be monitored and this takes a crew off the street, which is not ideal.”
Cr Scomazzon said she was concerned and disappointed with the recent crime.
“It is not acceptable and this will not be the final meeting,” she said.
“Different parts of the community need to work together, including (the) council.”
Cr Scomazzon also encouraged people to talk to their local councillors.
Beechwoods Café owner Sharon Beechey said that her business was disrupted every morning before 4am when she was setting up.
She said three windows had been broken in three weeks.
“It doesn’t feel safe to be there anymore,” Ms Beechey said.
Exchange Hotel operator Nathan Bonneau-Plassa said he was concerned about the level of loitering, smashed windows and broken bottles at his premises.
“The town needs more policing on the streets at night, more lighting and cameras,” he said.
“We have people living in accommodation at the hotel who are afraid to leave the building at night.”
A speaker from the floor believed more lighting could sometimes encourage more loitering.
It was acknowledged, by the majority attending the meeting, that alcohol was the main cause of recent disturbances and maybe also higher levels of people from out of town which was often the case during school holidays.
A representative of the Mossman Hotel said their staff did their best not to sell alcohol to intoxicated individuals.
“The problem is, they just get somebody else to go in and buy them alcoholic drinks” he said.
Elders stressed their concerns about alcohol, together with general behaviour and health.
“Old fashioned-style policing and curfews have never worked in the past,” one said.
Mr Kempton said he would work towards more funding for Elders Justice, more visits from the newly-formed police ‘flying squad’ and promised to highlight Mossman’s current issues by talking directly to Police Minister Daniel Purdie.
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