State Liberal candidate for Frankston, Geoff Shaw said: "Frankston Council deserves to be commended for taking action to make our community safer but should not have to bear the burden to ensure the Frankston community feel safe."

Over the past 12 months, assaults in Frankston had risen 6per cent, property damage by 12per cent and and graffiti was up 23per cent, Mr Shaw said.

"Labor and Premier John Brumby have spent less per capita on frontline police and resourcing than any other state in Australia. The increased crime levels in Frankston and Labor's failure to address the issue reveals an arrogant and lazy government out of touch with the local community.

"Until we return to a strong permanent police presence throughout Frankston, we will continue to have escalating street violence and assaults. Thugs and hoons behave this way because they think they can get away with it."

Mayor Christine Richards said both major parties had announced between 1600 and 1966 extra police for Victoria after the November state election.

"While this is welcomed, Frankston is waiting to hear what its fair share of those extra resources will be," Cr Richards said.

"Unquestionably our community thinks Frankston police do a great job.

"But there's also no question that Frankston would benefit from more foot patrols in our hot spots, which this pilot should clearly prove.

"We work closely with Frankston police, and will be analysing the pilot's community benefits through on-going weekly meetings with them."

Frankston MP Alistair Hark-

ness defended the government's record, pointing to a 105 per cent rise in Frankston police numbers since 1999 and a 10.6 per cent fall in crime over this timeframe.

"We have been working hard with Victoria Police to crack down on a range of public order offences, such as drunken and disorderly behaviour, hoon driving and graffiti," Mr Hark-

ness said.

"When Labor promises new police, Labor delivers. This is in stark contract to the Victorian opposition who, when in government, promised 1000 new police but actually cut 800."

Under Frankston's six-month City Safe officers trial, security guards wearing CCTV cameras patrol city centre streets and the foreshore.

Frankston is the first municipality outside metropolitan Melbourne to have private security guards "on the beat".