City of Casey Council has secured a $900,000 Commonwealth Government 2026-28 Strengthening Community Safety — Election Commitment Grant to fund the procurement and deployment of three mobile CCTV police operated trailers.
The project will be delivered over three years, with Victoria Police to determine the locations of the trailers based on crime data and community need.
Mayor, Stefan Koomen said the outcomes of the community safety initiative will benefit Casey residents and provide valuable insights for other councils considering similar approaches.
“The project will be independently evaluated by Deakin University to assess its effectiveness and value for money, providing evidence to inform future investment decisions beyond the grant period,” he said.
“Casey is the only municipality in Australia undertaking this research, providing a strong evidence base to ensure future ratepayer expenditure is targeted, effective, and in the best interests of the community.”
Mayor Koomen said that by combining mobile CCTV trailers with established Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles and independent evaluation, Council can make informed decisions about future community safety investments.
“If CCTV is shown to have limited impact, the evaluation will assess safety measures that have been funded as part of the grant, such as improved lighting, bollards and environmental design improvements, to ensure future decisions are evidence-based,” he said.
Member for Holt, Cassandra Fernando said people across the electorate have been rightly concerned about the crime rates in Melbourne’s south-east.
“Community safety remains one of the issues residents raise with me most often,” she said.
“I am proud to have secured funding for this nation-leading program through the City of Casey to help improve safety in our local community.
“While I understand that three mobile CCTV trailers alone will not solve the challenges we face, this project is about more than just the equipment. Through the independent evaluation being undertaken by Deakin University, we will build a valuable evidence base about what works to reduce crime and improve community safety.
“I am hopeful that the research generated through this initiative will help inform long-term solutions, ensuring future investments deliver the best outcomes for our community.”
