Police to blitz bayside suburbs as temperature sizzles
Victoria Police will be on high alert and officers plan to saturate Melbourne’s bayside suburbs this week as punters get boozy at Christmas parties and flock to the beach.
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Police will saturate bayside suburbs with “significant resources” from today, bracing for alcohol-fuelled youth violence near Melbourne’s beaches as temperatures soar.
Today and Friday will be “very concerning” days for police as punters get boozy at Christmas parties and want to cool down at the beach afterwards as the temperature hits 39 degrees today and 41 on Friday.
Victoria’s chief health officer Dr Brett Sutton has issued a heat health alert for the north of the state, while people across Victoria are urged to take precautions to protect themselves and others.
Health authorities are urging people to stay in cool or airconditioned buildings, avoid exercise and keep a water bottle nearby during the extreme temperatures.
They are also urged to keep an eye on those who are vulnerable to heat stress and avoid leaving children or animals in cars.
The heatwave is also expected to put the squeeze on the state’s power generators, with emergency reserves called on to help prevent blackouts.
Victoria’s network will be tested this afternoon as high temperatures hit while two major power generators are out of action.
Australia’s energy market operator is expecting a rise in demand and sent out a Level 2 warning for a lack of reserve supply between 4pm and 6.30pm. Emergency power reserves may be needed to prevent blackouts late in the day.
It comes as police plan to saturate popular beaches including Mordialloc and Chelsea to stop youth violence.
Last week dozens of youths brawled violently in Mordialloc and Chelsea, and three were admitted to hospital.
Inspector Matt Mulcahy from Kingston said police would be on high alert over the coming days.
“We know we will see groups who gather through their friendship, through their ethnic group and through their peer groups: it is quite irrelevant for us,” Insp Mulcahy told the Herald Sun.
“We don’t police by ethnicity or age, we police to behaviour. We know we will get groups of kids from the Pacific Islands, from Asia and from Africa, because that is the way they gather among themselves but that doesn't affect how we police it.”
Violent youths unleashed thuggery on swimmers at Chelsea beach last December, ransacking bags and bashing innocent beachgoers.
“The beach is a great place to come, we don’t want people to be deterred,” Superintendent Sharon McKinnon said.
“Our learnings from last year, an incident on the beach that took us by surprise, we have prepared ourselves.
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“At the start of summer, people get excited, it is festive. There are a lot more parties, a lot more alcohol.
“If you are coming in to cause trouble: Don’t come, we’ll be ready.”
Operation Summersafe — a crackdown on crime on Melbourne’s beaches — runs until March and includes police from the Public Order Response Team, the Mounted Branch, Water Police and the canine unit.
For the first time, police will use drones to patrol beaches and water. Extra lifesavers will also patrol beaches in the coming days.