JCCV calls for police hate-crimes unit
 
PETER KOHN
JEWISH Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) president John Searle reinforced the roof body’s call for a hate-crimes unit within Victoria Police and voiced his appreciation that police are willing to engage in dialogue with the JCCV on this issue.¬†
“We may not always agree but the Jewish community and other communities know that the door, the phone lines and the blogs are always open.”¬†He was addressing the third annual Victoria Police Jewish Community Dinner, held at St Kilda Town Hall on July 1.
Welcomed by Victoria Police Commander Ashley Dickinson, a conclave of MPs, rabbis, Jewish leaders and representatives from Victoria’s Emerging Communities, mingled with senior police over three courses, klezmer music, and a slate of speakers.¬†Chief police commissioner Simon Overland pledged to continue fostering close links with the full spectrum of the Victorian community, a practice he said had reached new levels under his predecessor Christine Nixon.
Victoria Multicultural Commissioner Marcia Pinskier said it was “heartening” to learn the State Government was planning to amend sentencing to include consideration of a defendant’s hatred of the victim’s community.¬†Raconteur and community icon Sam Lipski regaled his audience with a primer on Yiddish, Melbourne-style, recalling his childhood in Carlton and reflecting that he spoke Yiddish with his classmates at the Talmud Torah Hascolah before he mastered English.
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