Mental health patients forced to Adelaide
August 23, 2010
People with acute mental illnesses in Mount Gambier and the Limestone Coast are being apprehended by police, detained and flown to Adelaide every week due to the lack of access to a local psychiatrist or acute care options.
The Border Watch can reveal Limestone Coast Police have apprehended 50 people with acute mental illnesses this year for their safety and the safety of others. Read more
Police prepare for hoon clampdown
August 5, 2010
Limestone Coast police have built a new vehicle impound centre to accommodate new legislation that will give them the power to lock up hoon and drink drivers’ cars for up to 28 days.
The off-site impound is currently waiting on final security measures and will be opened within the next month. Read more
Traders reclaim streets
August 2, 2010
A boosted security presence on Commercial and Gray streets has made a difference, according to traders, as City Council and police work to clean up the streets.
Action on the issue over recent weeks after The Border Watch reported on store operators and shoppers feeling intimidated by youths loitering on the streets appears to have led to more shops opening on Thursday nights for longer. Read more
Anti-fluoride protestor arrested
July 29, 2010
Onlu one day after anti-fluoride campaigner Alex Young chained himself to the entrance gates to the Blue Lake pumping station, police cut the chains and arrested him for loitering on Tuesday morning.
“This could have been quite easily avoided if the Minister for Health let us have a proper community consultative process,” Mr Young said as police cut the chains with a bolt cutter and led him away to a police van. Read more
Violence threatens taxi service future
July 29, 2010
A local taxi company operator has threatened to take his taxis off the road after two recent attacks on his drivers has left fellow workers fearing for their lives.
Lake City Taxis owner Knud Rasmussen said he feared for the safety of his taxi drivers after one driver was allegedly threatened with a knife a few weeks ago and another was brutally assaulted on a recent Friday night. Read more
Firearms seized
July 19, 2010
MOUNT Gambier police have seized seven firearms from an Eight Mile Creek man, 49, who has been reported for possessing the guns without a licence. Read more
Extra police hit South East roads
July 8, 2010
An increased traffic police presence in country areas by SAPOL will see three “much-needed” additions to the force in the South East region freeing up trained staff and enabling a greater focus on road safety.
The increase will see a strengthening from five to eight officers patrolling the region, with four stationed in Mount Gambier, up from the existing three, and four allocated in Bordertown.
Limestone Coast Superintendent Trevor Twilley described the expansion as a significant opportunity.
“These officers will solely focus on reducing road trauma and enforcing and educating people about safe roads,” he said.
“Previously you would see a stretching of the resources — you had patrolling officers continually interrupted to attend an incident on the roads.”
There has been a persistent call for reinforcements in the area for a long time, according to Supt Twilley.
“This change has been long sort after,” he said.
He added that even though the increase was minor, it would contribute significantly.
“Numbers are deceiving — it is a 60pc jump on our current strength in policing the roads,” he said.
Introduction of the changes will be subject to five-weeks of consultation.
The South Australia Police Association has expressed concerns motorcycle patrols will be cut by more than half in metropolitan Adelaide to facilitate the changes.
Association president Mark Carroll welcomed placing of extra resources in country areas, but said this should not come at the expense of resources in metropolitan Adelaide.
“The government has funded the recruitment of 400 additional police officers in the last four years and has committed to fund 300 more over the next four years,” Mr Carroll said.
“Of that total of 700 officers, surely 30 could be found to serve in new country traffic roles — and surely those 30 could come on top of the existing contingent of metropolitan traffic officers.”
SA Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Burns said the traffic enforcement section was being transformed to curb the rural road toll.
“We just feel that we need to do something different, something positive to try and reduce the road toll,” he said
Authorities answer call to clean up streets
July 5, 2010
Shop owners, city council, police and the Mount Gambier Chamber of Commerce have come together in a collective effort to clean up the streets of Mount Gambier.
Prompted by Wednesday, June 30’s The Border Watch article regarding Commercial Street being dominated by loitering youths on Thursday nights, the appropriate bodies heralded a proactive response to addressing the issue and said they would begin meeting for discussions soon. Read more
Vandals strike new BMX facility
June 23, 2010
Vandals attacked the Blue Lake BMX Club at the weekend just one week after the new state-of-the-art facility was officially reopened.
Unknown offenders spray painted graffiti tags on a shed and sign at the nationally-accredited Hastings Cunningham Reserve track following the club’s success in hosting the South Australian-Victorian BMX Championships earlier this month.
The vandalism, believed to have occurred between Friday and Saturday, has devastated club members and threatened the public’s ongoing access to the track, according to president and Mount Gambier police Sergeant Andy Stott.
Painted tags appeared to show the word “TRUE” and “566”.
Sgt Stott said unknown offenders also smashed six exterior lights at the clubrooms on Thursday night.
“This criminal act denigrates the community’s hard work over the past two months to build the facility, which is open to the public when not in use by the BMX Club,” he said.
“The community is reminded that acts of this nature are against the law and, perhaps more importantly, that they potentially affect the long-term availability of facilities, such as the BMX Club, to the community at large.”
Bedford Industries Gambier Contracts workers cleaned the signs yesterday at the expense of Mount Gambier City Council.
The vandalism is being investigated by police and anyone with information has been asked to contact Mount Gambier police on 8735 1020 or Bank SA Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.
Top cop honoured
June 16, 2010
More than three decades of dedication to the South Australian police force led to one of the city’s top ranking officers being named in yesterday’s 2010 Queen’s Birthday honours.
Senior Sergeant First Class Thomas Carter was named a recipient of the Australian Police Medal. Read more
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