Everyone deserves to feel safe where they live, work, shop and spend time.
We’re calling for more police on the beat across Brimbank and Melbourne’s west, backed by long-term investment in prevention and community support.
Our communities are growing, crime is increasing and local police resources have not kept pace.
We welcome recent commitments from the Victorian Government to increase the police and Protective Services Officer (PSO) presence in Melbourne’s west, and establish the Community Connectors program at Sunshine and St Albans stations. But we need to see these measures sustained for the long term.
What we've called for
More police on the beat
More police on the beat
A stronger, highly-visible and ongoing police presence in Brimbank’s neighbourhoods, shopping strips and activity centres.
Police resources that meet community need
Police resources that meet community need
Police numbers and resources that reflect population growth, increasing demand and crime rates across Melbourne’s west.
Better access to local police
Better access to local police
Accessible local police stations and services so our community can get help when they need it.
Prevention and early intervention
Prevention and early intervention
Continued investment in proven programs that address the causes of crime and antisocial behaviour, including youth outreach, Community Connectors and support for people experiencing homelessness, mental health challenges and alcohol and other drug issues.
Why this matters
Melbourne’s west is one of the fastest-growing regions in Australia, but police resources have not kept pace.
In August 2026, Mayors from Brimbank, Maribyrnong, Hobsons Bay, Wyndham and Melton joined forces to call for urgent action, highlighting a 12.7% increase in recorded crime across Melbourne’s west.
Brimbank has been particularly affected. Council has continued to raise concerns about declining police numbers at a time when our population is growing and demand on local police is increasing.
Our advocacy is focusing on a partnership with both the State Government and Victoria Police to boost community safety. We value the difficult and important work that our police officers do every day.
We want to make sure they have the people, resources and support they need to keep our community safe.
What has been announced
Following advocacy from Council, neighbouring councils, local traders and our community, the Victorian Government has announced new measures to improve community safety.
150 additional PSOs
150 additional PSOs
The Victorian Government has announced 150 additional Protective Services Officers, with PSOs to be deployed beyond train stations into shopping strips, shopping centres and other areas experiencing crime and antisocial behaviour.
Community Connectors in Sunshine and St Albans
Community Connectors in Sunshine and St Albans
The successful Community Connectors program is being expanded to both Sunshine and St Albans stations, providing outreach to vulnerable people and connecting them with housing, health, mental health and other support services.
More support for safer public spaces
More support for safer public spaces
The Victorian Government has announced $10m in funding to help councils improve safety in public places, including measures such as lighting, CCTV and other infrastructure.
Increased police presence
Increased police presence
Following the tragic death of Sunshine trader Van Viet Truong, the Victorian Government committed to an increased police presence in Sunshine.
200 additional police reservists
200 additional police reservists
The Victorian Government has announced the recruitment of 200 additional police reservists, with these officers to be deployed to local station counters to extend operating hours and free up frontline police for community patrols.
Council welcomes these measures, but we have been clear that increased policing cannot be a short-term response.
Our community needs a sustained and visible police presence for the long term.
What Council is doing
Policing is a Victorian Government responsibility, but Council also has an important role to play in making our streets and public spaces safer. We are:
- responding to community and trader concerns in our major activity centres (including the removal of seats on Hampshire Road where antisocial behaviour has previously occurred)
- advocating directly to the Victorian Government for more police and community safety resources
- working with other western suburbs councils to strengthen our collective advocacy
- working closely with Victoria Police, traders, community organisations and outreach services
- investing in safer, well-maintained public spaces
- supporting prevention and early-intervention approaches alongside increased policing
- continuing to identify opportunities to improve safety in Sunshine, St Albans and across Brimbank.
Council is also undertaking further work to assess community safety in our major activity centres and identify practical improvements that can be made to public spaces.
Our advocacy in action
3 September 2026 | Council joins campaign for new police training academy
3 September 2026 | Council joins campaign for new police training academy
Brimbank City Council and councils from across Melbourne’s north west are calling on the Victorian Government to establish a regional police training academy to help address the area’s police shortage.
The Mayors and CEOs of Melton, Wyndham, Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong and Hume councils have written a joint letter to Premier Ben Carroll and Police Minister Paul Edbrooke calling for the new academy.
19 August 2026 | Mayors of the West call for a North West Metropolitan Police Academy
19 August 2026 | Mayors of the West call for a North West Metropolitan Police Academy
Together with Hobsons Bay, Hume, Maribyrnong, Melton and Wyndham councils, we wrote to Premier Ben Carroll MP and Minister for Police Paul Edbrooke MP, calling for the establishment of a permanent North West Metropolitan Police Academy.
The proposed academy would create a local pathway for police recruitment and training, helping to build and sustain police numbers across Melbourne’s west over the long term.
13 August 2026 | New community safety measures welcomed
13 August 2026 | New community safety measures welcomed
Council welcomed Victorian Government commitments including 150 additional PSOs, expansion of the Community Connectors program to Sunshine and St Albans stations, and funding to help councils improve safety in public spaces.
Mayor Cr Virginia Tachos welcomed the increased police presence seen in Sunshine, while calling for it to continue:
“The increased police presence, particularly in Sunshine, over the past week is a good start, but it can’t be a short-term fix – our community needs this to continue.”
6 August 2026 | Premier commits to action in Sunshine
6 August 2026 | Premier commits to action in Sunshine
Following the tragic death of Sunshine trader Van Viet Truong, Mayor Cr Virginia Tachos joined local traders and community members in meeting with Premier Ben Carroll, Police Minister Paul Edbrooke and local Members of Parliament in Sunshine.
The Premier committed to more police on the beat in Sunshine and increased support for the local Vietnamese community.
Council welcomed the commitment while continuing to advocate for lasting improvements to community safety.
Read: Premier vows to improve community safety following Sunshine tragedy
6 August 2026 | Brimbank mourns Van Viet Truong
6 August 2026 | Brimbank mourns Van Viet Truong
Council joined the Sunshine community in mourning the tragic death of local trader Van Viet Truong.
Viet was a much-loved member of the Sunshine community and a generous supporter, neighbour and friend to local traders and customers.
Council lowered its flags to half-mast as a mark of respect and expressed its condolences to Viet’s family, friends and the wider community.
Read: Statement from Brimbank Mayor on the passing of Van Viet Truong
5 August 2026 | Western suburbs Mayors unite
5 August 2026 | Western suburbs Mayors unite
In response to the attack on local Sunshine trader Van Viet Truong days earlier, Brimbank joined Maribyrnong, Hobsons Bay, Wyndham and Melton councils to make a united call for more police on the beat across Melbourne’s west.
The 5 Mayors called for:
- more visible neighbourhood policing
- police resources that reflect population growth and community need
- better access to police stations
- greater investment in prevention and early-intervention services.
The councils also committed to working together and meeting regularly with police to discuss crime and community safety across the region.
Read: Western suburbs mayors unite to call for more police on the beat
12 February 2026 | Brimbank issues urgent plea for more police
12 February 2026 | Brimbank issues urgent plea for more police
We publicly called for more police resources after figures showed Brimbank had experienced the largest reduction in police numbers in Victoria.
Brimbank lost 25 full-time equivalent police officers during 2025, while recorded criminal incidents increased by 7.2%.
Mayor Cr Virginia Tachos called for more police and a stronger visible presence, particularly in Sunshine and St Albans.
Council had already written to the Victorian Government in October 2025 seeking additional police resources for Brimbank.
