mmg.com.au

Shepparton police’s new Family Violence Unit promises to target repeat offenders with the ultimate goal of breaking the cycle of violence in a move welcomed by local agencies.

The unit, consisting of three officers, was formed in December and is part of a statewide rollout in busy 24-hour stations.

Shepparton will join regional centres, such as Bendigo and Ballarat, and the unit’s Sergeant Ross Fifoot said it would make a difference in the way police treated domestic violence.

Before the unit was set up, police would attend an incident, file a family violence report and fax it to relevant agencies.

The agency would then be responsible for contacting the offender or victim to offer support.

However, sometimes those involved in the violent incident would refuse support, becoming lost in the system until the next time police were called to their home. And so the cycle would continue.

‘‘Unfortunately, that happens quite often,’’ Sgt Fifoot said.

The unit aims to change this with its ability to follow up repeat offenders with regular contact and meetings with the support agencies.

‘‘We work closely with outside agencies,’’ Sgt Fifoot said.

‘‘They’ll ring us, send us emails, ‘Can you check on this person because I haven’t been able to contact this person and can you see what’s going on?’ ’’

The unit will also provide support and advice to victims of family violence.

Shepparton police had 61 reports of family violence in December alone.

‘‘When you consider 80 per cent of family violence goes unreported, it’s not hard to work out there’s a lot of it in the community,’’ Sgt Fifoot said.

Primary Care Connect director of families and counselling Rebecca Lorains welcomed the new unit.

‘‘It’s wonderful that there’s any increase in the response to family violence,’’ she said.

As a young constable in Melbourne, Sgt Fifoot was first on scene to a domestic homicide and in Shepparton as a prosecutor he saw end results of a different kind — but just as heart-breaking — in court.

‘‘I’ve probably attended many hundreds of family violence incidences over my time in the police force,’’ he said.

‘‘Family violence can have a devastating effect on all family members, especially children. If the prevalence of family violence is to be reduced we need the whole of the community to be involved in breaking the cycle.’’

People can contact Shepparton’s Family Violence Unit by phoning the station on 58205777.