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Safety in Manningham has improved over the past year, but residents remain concerned about risks in public spaces, property and on the roads.
A Neighbourhood Policing Forum was held on Wednesday 11 March, at the Pines Learning Centre.
Victoria Police presented the latest 2025 crime statistics and explained trends in Manningham. Residents attended the forum to hear updates and raise concerns directly with police.
The 2025 Community Sentiment Survey, based on 75 responses, found that safety in public places (69%), property (60%) and road safety (40%) were among the most commonly reported concerns.
Public safety ranked as the highest concern.
Senior Constable Cai explained, “People in Manningham have witnessed a few horrible incidents in recent years, and such violent incidents are the main contributor to people feeling unsafe.”
“Since then, we have significantly increased patrol units in targeted areas, especially ongoing foot patrols at Westfield during school holidays, and the number of such incidents has reduced to nearly zero,” he said.
While public safety in visible spaces remains a key concern, overall crime trends tell a more complex story.
Overall crime in Manningham fell by 8.6% over the past year, with total offences dropping from 5,491 to 5,021.
The offence rate also remains well below the state average, at 3,782 per 100,000 people compared to 9,030 across Victoria.
Residential burglary declined from 506 to 399 incidents over the past year. However, property-related safety remains a major concern among residents.
Officer Cai said concerns often relate to more serious incidents such as aggravated burglary and home invasion, where multiple offenders may enter properties while residents are at home, often carrying weapons.
“In response to such incidents, we have not only standard local patrols, but also a dedicated operation called Operation Trinity,” he said.
The operation, launched in 2023, involves multiple units including detectives, K9, Air wing and Highway patrol.
Road safety remains a key concern among residents, despite recent improvements
Hospitalisations dropped from 44 in 2021 to 30 in 2025, after peaking at 49 in 2023. Fatalities have remained low, with two recorded in both 2024 and 2025.
“Road safety remains one of the top three concerns because it directly affects people’s daily lives,” Officer Cai said.
He added that police are carrying out targeted road operations, particularly during public and school holidays, focusing on drink driving, drug driving, speeding and other offences. Increased police presence is expected over the Easter holiday period.
Police also presented data on other crime trends in Manningham.
Youth offending has increased as a proportion of total incidents, rising from 28.9% in 2022 to 34.8% in 2025, particularly among those aged 10 to 17.
To address this, police have deployed dedicated proactive policing units and local crime reduction teams focusing on youth-related issues.
Family violence incidents have declined significantly, dropping from 1,043 to 817 over the past year. However, breaches of family violence orders remain relatively high.
Drug offences showed mixed trends, with possession cases rising while trafficking and manufacturing declined.
Police continue to carry out targeted operations across Manningham in response to these trends.
