Extra police patrols in the South West over summer

South West district police are targeting speeding, burglaries and antisocial behaviour over summer to make sure everyone has a “safe and happy Christmas”.

As thousands of people from around the State head south to visit family and enjoy the region’s beaches and relaxed atmosphere, they will notice an increased police presence.

South West Inspector Peter Jenal said they would be undertaking extra traffic patrols on major highways and suburbs over the busy season.

“We’ll be targeting everything,” he said. “Mainly speeding, mobile phone use, not wearing a seatbelt and drinking and driving.”

The main message to people is to remember the word safety. We want them to arrive safely and drive safely, and make sure they have a safe and happy Christmas.

Insp. Jenal said people needed to be aware of their surroundings, stop if they were feeling tired, and not get behind the wheel if they had been drinking or taking drugs.

He said police were also engaging a summer crime strategy, which would run for an extended period into early next year.

“We’ll be targeting people within the CBDs of Bunbury and Busselton drinking to excess and exhibiting disorderly or antisocial behaviour,” Insp. Jenal said.

“We are going to be doing extra patrols to make sure that once the summer crime strategy comes along, we can focus on keeping the community safe and making sure that anyone who’s doing the wrong thing will be spoken to by police.”

Burglary and stealing from commercial and residential properties will also be a focus for South West police, who will be monitoring CCTV cameras in Bunbury, Busselton and Australind.

Insp. Jenal also urged people to lock up and report any suspicious activity to police.

Double demerits are in place from tomorrow until Sunday January 5.