Shadow Police Minister Police Edward O’Donohue, together with Northern Victoria MLC Wendy Lovell, have called on the Andrews Labor Government to ensure the Whittlesea community has a fully resourced and operational Whittlesea Police Station.

The calls came when Mr O’Donohue and Ms Lovell met members of the local Save Our Staff action group in Whittlesea on Friday.

The Save Our Staff group organised a public meeting last month to express concerns about the lack of police numbers in the township in the face of a new police station opening soon in Mernda.

Four vacancies had been removed from the Whittlesea station in order to help staff the Mernda Police complex, Ms Lovell said.

A petition calling for the reinstatement of the vacancies has been signed by more than 700 members of the Whittlesea community and will soon be tabled in Parliament by Ms Lovell.

“Under Daniel Andrews, crime is up 27.6 per cent in Whittlesea. The Whittlesea community expects and deserves a fully resourced and operational Whittlesea Police Station.”

“It is also important that the hardworking and dedicated police members at Whittlesea have a safe and contemporary police facility to work from.”

“Daniel Andrews must acknowledge the resourcing problems at Whittlesea Police Station and commit funding to an urgent upgrade of the station.”

“A Guy Liberal Nationals government would work with the Chief Commissioner to see that all sworn police positions at Whittlesea Police Station are filled and maintained to ensure the ongoing safety of the Whittlesea community.”

• Pictured: At Whittlesea Police Station on Friday, from left: Robyn Ritchie, Pastor Shane Lepp, Whittlesea Mayor Cr Ricky Kirkham, Wendy Lovell MLC, Shadow Police Minister Ed O’Donohue, Judy Clements and Ivan Petersen.