Cottesloe’s push to curb anti- social behaviour and hoon driving along the beachfront has earned the town a presti- gious award from the Office of Crime Prevention.
The scheme includes a suc- cessful lock-down experiment at local hotels, even though Northbridge has rejected a trial of the scheme.
While the WA Crime and Safety Awards cannot be hand- ed out until the new government is sworn in, the council has been notified that the award will be going to Cottesloe.
The community safety pro- gram includes extra ranger pa- trols, CCTV, a 9pm lock-out at both hotels, and three-hour parking restrictions applicable 24 hours a day to both major beachfront carparks.
“If you leave (a pub) after 9pm on a Sunday you don’t get let back in,” said senior ranger Neil Ferridge.
“That way the crowd starts dis- persing and at 10pm closing time you don’t get so many peo- ple in the streets.” He said the three-hour limit at No. 1 and 2 carparks was also playing its part.
“The carparks also start emp- tying by 9.30, so you don’t get peo- ple going back to their vehi- cles and drinking alcohol … and causing trouble,” he said.
Reports of anti-social behav- iour have reduced dramatical- ly in the two years the program has been running.
It all began when a commit- tee was formed to tackle the prob- lem. The group included local res- idents, business proprietors, councillors, council staff, po- lice liquor licensing, hotel man- agers, council rangers and the officer-in-charge of Cottesloe Police Station.
They agreed peak time was Sunday evenings during the summer, with activity concen- trated around the Cottesloe Beach Hotel, the Ocean Beach Hotel and associated carparks.
The awards will be present- ed as part of Crime Prevention Week on September 25 at Fraser’s Function Centre in King’s Park.
