PSOs roam Melbourne CBD streets day and night amid looting threat as city lays deserted
Police haved vowed to go to war with virus law-breakers in a bid to make sure Victoria’s dramatic gains in the coronavirus battle aren’t lost. It comes as protective services officers also up the ante in Melbourne’s largely-deserted CBD amid looting fears.
HS Coronavirus News
Don't miss out on the headlines from HS Coronavirus News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Police will go to war with covidiots as Victoria stands on the cusp of defeating coronavirus.
The force has vowed it will up the ante to make sure offenders do not put at risk the state’s dramatic gains in the coronavirus battle.
The army will this weekend join police patrols at popular beaches amid forecasts of good surf and weather. Teams of protective services officers will roam Melbourne’s CBD around the clock to stop any risk of looting and ensure people obey health orders.
The all-out effort comes after force command lashed “bats--t crazy” anti-lockdown protesters intent on rallying in the city a week from today.
A 76-year-old alleged anti-lockdown rally organiser was arrested and charged.
The Herald Sun has been told police are closely monitoring others involved in arranging protests, which risk spawning a major coronavirus outbreak.
Police Minister Lisa Neville on Friday night pleaded with Victorians to go the distance in beating the virus.
“This weekend isn’t an invitation to break the rules,’’ Ms Neville said. “Police will be out in force this weekend monitoring public areas including parks and beaches to ensure Victorians continue to do the right thing.
“We’ve come so far as a state, please don’t make bad choices that see us go backwards.”
Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius unleashed a spray at “utterly selfish” coronavirus conspiracists and told them to back down on the a protest planned in the city next Saturday.
Police were also again dealing with protesters marching in Dandenong who planned to continue disruptions over the weekend. Dozens of police patrolled Kirkham Rd, Dandenong on Friday evening, with more than 100 people in the area.
Groups of up to 30 people were walking together. All were wearing masks.
It was the fifth day in a row anti-lockdown protesters gathered in the area.
“The tinfoil-hat-wearing brigade are alive and well out there in our community,” Mr Cornelius said.
“They are taking every opportunity to leverage the current situation to serve their own ridiculous notions about so-called ‘sovereign citizens’ about constitutional issues and about how 5G is going to kill your grandkids — it is bats--t crazy nonsense.
“People need to wake up to themselves.”
This weekend’s police effort will see ADF personnel join patrols of popular Surf Coast beaches including Torquay and Lorne. They will ensure strict compliance.
Protective services officers on the COVID-19 beat are usually working in groups of eight alongside two police officers.
LOOTING FEARS PROMPTS POLICE RESPONSE
Looting fears have led to around-the-clock roving police patrols in Melbourne’s CBD as it’s left deserted from the coronavirus pandemic.
Companies based in the city have also ramped up private security, especially electronic surveillance, amid concern about graffiti and vagrant activity due to the reduced public presence.
About a million people are usually in the city each day but the figure is now lucky to reach 90,000.
Victoria Police protective services officers, usually working in groups of eight alongside two police, are staging foot patrols across the city day and night to stamp out the threat of looting and detect crime.
Similar patrols are being run at shopping centres and major activity precincts in the suburbs.
Transit and Public Safety Command Assistant Commissioner Dean McWhirter told the Herald Sun: “Our Protective Services Officers (PSOs) are incredibly dedicated and we’ve absolutely seen them step up as part of Victoria Police’s evolving response to the coronavirus pandemic.”
“They’re holding people to account that are blatantly and deliberately breaching the directions of the Chief Health Officer, but also identifying and arresting offenders who are committing serious crimes such as weapons offences, drug offences and violent assaults,’’ Mr McWhirter said.
PSOs in the city until the pandemic were confined to monitoring train stations and trams but have been given extra scope as part of their virus response, called Operation Shielding.
Figures provided to the Herald Sun show since April 9 officers working as part of the operation have made 1120 arrests for criminal offences as well as breaches of the Chief Health Officer’s directions like not wearing a mask.
They have spoken with more than 21,000 people and issued more than 500 penalty notices for health breaches.
“They are providing an extra line of defence by not only maintaining a presence at transport hubs across the state, but also by working with police to enforce the directions of the Chief Health Officer,’’ Mr McWhirter said.
“These deployments mean that PSOs are expanding their skill sets and we will no doubt have a more experienced and agile group of officers in future.”
Protective services officer Richard Robert — part of foot patrols spanning the city, Victoria Gardens Shopping Centre and Chapel St — said it was a clear deterrent to would-be crooks.
“The whole point of Operation Shielding is to show we are there and have that visible presence – just like we have done at the railway stations up until now,’’ Mr Robert said.
“We are out in force. Because we are walking around on foot we are proactive. We are covering a broad range of areas — going to different streets, different laneways, seeing different people and seeing what is going on.”
The Herald Sun understands additional private security is being deployed at some office towers and traditionally busy tourist areas to ward off criminal activity due to there being fewer people around.
Companies are also reviewing their CCTV setups and upgrading alarms so somebody is notified if they’re triggered.
Australian Security Industry Association industry affairs officer
Steve Cropper said: “There are always thousands of security officers on patrol 24/7 in businesses, government premises and so on. But at times like these, many customers look to upgrade access control systems, electronic surveillance, monitoring and alarms, because there are fewer people in the premises during COVID.”
“The aim is to make it too difficult for looters to attempt anything at the secured premises,’’ Mr Cropper said.
MORE NEWS
VICTORIA’S CORONAVIRUS CASES STABILISE