Tasmania Police “remains committed” to Campbell Town, the state’s police minister says, as the Midlands community pleads for a stronger presence amid a surge in crime.
Felix Ellis made the comment in a written response to Labor MP Brian Mitchell, who raised residents’ concerns in parliament in May.
Mitchell put a question to Ellis on behalf of a constituent named Ken, who said about 50 people had packed a public meeting to discuss crime hitting local homes and businesses.
Ken said shops had been broken into, staff assaulted and fires deliberately lit.
“People are feeling scared to leave their homes,” he said.
The fears come amid a spike in property crime. Reported stealing offences in the Campbell Town area have jumped about 170% above the five-year average this year.
Building burglaries have also risen across the town of roughly 1,000 people since July 1, 2025.
Campbell Town’s police station remains open, but residents say they rarely see an officer there and worry about coverage late at night.
Ken said response times were a real concern, with officers based in Longford about 40 minutes away.
He said urgent calls could take that long to get a response, while shoplifting reports were sometimes not attended until the next day.
“By then the offenders have moved on,” he said.
Three permanent officer positions are attached to the station, with staff also working out of Longford depending on need.
Some residents fear the station could eventually be sold off, pointing to the closure of stations in nearby towns in recent years.
In his response, Ellis said Campbell Town was part of the Central North Division, serviced by an inspector, three sergeants and a team of officers across Deloraine, Longford, Westbury and Campbell Town.
He said the division had round-the-clock coverage, with officers on call at both Deloraine and Longford.
“These officers continue to conduct proactive patrols throughout the division, including Campbell Town, on a regular basis,” Ellis said.
He said police had recently held several community and business meetings in the town to discuss local issues and concerns.
“The Campbell Town community can rest assured that Tasmania Police remains committed to continuing to provide a strong local policing service and engagement into the future,” Ellis said.
